Forgotten
by MickeyNotDaMouse
Summary: Annabelle Bethany Jameson has a past that wants to stay hidden but as she joins the BAU family it slowly starts to come into the light. (Disclaimer: Do Not Own Criminal Minds or Matthew Gray Gubler Would Be All Mine! As well as c'mon, we all know what the M rating means.) Please Review!
1. Chapter 1

**Federal Bureau of Investigation**

 **Personnel File**

 **Dox:614506HCTA**

 **Name:** Annabelle Bethany Jameson

 **Other Known Alias: - -, - -, - -, - -**

 **D.O.B.:** July 07 1989

 **Place of Birth:** Manassas, VA

 **Hgt:** 5'2 **Wght:** 110 **Eye Clr:** Gray **Hair Clr:** Brown

 **Relatives:**

Joan Lisa Jameson (ne Walters)(Mother-Adopted) **DECEASED**

Allen Fredrick Jameson (Father- Adopted) ***F.U.S.M***

 **Education:**

James T Peters High School – Class of 1999

-Valedictorian

Harvard University – Class of 2008

-Ph.D. Medicine  
-Ph.D. Mathematics  
-M.S. Psychology  
-B.A. Child Development  
-B.S. Forensic Science

 **Prior Work History:**

 ***F.U.S.M*** **-** **CLASSIFIED**

 **ADMITTANCE:  
PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAM: **CLEARED **  
WEAPONS TRAINING:** CLEARED **  
H.T.H COMBAT:** CLEARED

 **STATUS: EMPLOYABLE**


	2. Chapter 2

"Your file has to be the shortest one I have ever seen," Special Supervisory Agent Aaron Hotchner started, "But by far one of- if not the- most impressive."

The young woman in front of him flashed a quick smile, the only break from her statuesque rigor. She sat confident, shoulders back, chin raised looking directly at him her hands folded neatly in her lap- almost soldier like. But there remained a softness to her, she was warm and inviting with her posture, her shoulders pulled back out of grace not training. Her eyes looking to him in respect not command. Her hands folded for comfort and the slight tilt of her head inviting him for him to talk.

"Just a few questions Agent Jameson."

She nodded, "Ask away but please, call me Annabelle, Agent Hotchner."

Hotch gave her a soft smile, "Of course, Annabelle. So, it seems as though you are a quantifiable genius thus giving you the ability to do nearly anything, why the military and now the F.B.I?"

She drew a breath before answering "My," her breath deflating with the word as she contemplated her next word, "father," a hard blink accompanying the title telling Hotch it was a sore topic for the girl, "was in the military, Sir. My entire life I was… pointed in that direction. I served for four years before my homesickness got the better of me. I chose the B.A.U because I had followed your team through news stories since college. Not only did I find the fast paced, puzzle solving- if you will- of your team riveting I also was enthralled by the notion of how much crime and death you were able to stop before it happened. I knew that that was what I wanted to be a part of."

The two gave each other small but meaningful smiles and Hotch looked back at the file before him, "Is there anything I should know about your classified employment in the military?"

"Should know, Sir? Probably," she joked and Hotch smirked, "Can know? Different story. All I am able to tell you is I was employed under the United States Military Marine Core Special Forces Division from the year 2008 to the year 2012. I am highly trained in weaponry, hand to hand combat, language interpretation as well as communication, undercover operations, technology information and… intelligence collection," she sighed as she said the last word and pursed her lips after the words left her mouth. Hotch could see the guilt begin to cloud her warm brown eyes.

Hotch lips formed a hard line as he felt sympathy for the young girl before him, he gave her a sad smile, "So basically you can tell me what's already in your file?" he joked, trying to put her at ease.

The clouds rolled away as her smile lit up her face, "Yes."

"Is there anything else you would like for me to know Annabelle? Before I introduce you to the team, because you do know we already have a resident genius and it will be nothing less of entertainment when he gets a hold of you."

Annabelle's smile widened and she glowed with happiness at the news of her getting the job, "I can't wait to meet him either… and no Sir, I believe I've laid down all my cards."

"Well in that case," Hotch rose from behind his desk, "Welcome to the team Agent Jameson."

Annabelle rose as well, giving a wide smile and firm shake to his extended hand, "Thank you, Sir."

"Please call me Hotch, the rest of the team does. Just out of curiosity what is your I.Q?"

"198."

"Words per minute?"

"Reading? 35000. Typing? 158."

"Hm, and do you have a preference to be called Agent Dr. Jameson?"

"Actually Agent Annabelle will do just fine."

"This is going to be fun, follow me," he smirked as he led the young woman out of his office and into the bullpen.

"Everyone," he called to his unit, "This is Agent Annabelle Jameson she will be joining our team. Agent Derek Morgan," he pointed to a muscular bald man sitting at a desk, "Agent Emily Prentiss," a woman with medium length dark hair leaning against the same desk, "Agent Jennifer Jareau or J.J." a blonde woman holding a file and wearing a smile, "Agent David Rossi," An older gentleman who nodded in her direction, "and Agent Dr. Spencer Reid," A man standing near the blonde woman with a coffee in his hands, "I believe you and he will get along great. You will meet Agent Penelope Garcia, the final member of our team at a later time," he turned to her placing a comforting hand on her shoulder before turning back to his office, unbeknownst to her throwing a knowing glance and smirk at Morgan and Prentiss.

She faced the bullpen after watching him retreat into his office and gave a wide smile, "Hi, I'm Annabelle Jameson you all can just call me Annabelle if you'd like."

"Annebelle you must be what twenty, baby girl?" Derek asked, a knowing smirk forming on his lips.

"Twenty-two actually," Annabelle responded with a short sigh.

"No kidding, isn't that the same age you joined Reid?" Emily joined in and before the questioned could answer Morgan broke into a laugh.

"Let me guess… Genius?" he asked through his chuckles.

Annabelle's brows furrowed at their antics, "Um, yes?"

"What's your I.Q.?" Morgan asked his face nearly split in two.

"Uh 198."

"How fast can you read?"

"35,000 words per minute- why does everyone keep asking this?"

Morgan's face only grew brighter as he got out of his seat and walked over to Reid throwing his arm around the smaller man's neck, "Because Baby girl, this former resident genius over here never let us forget his attributes!" Reid huffed and stepped out of his colleague's embrace, toward Annabelle who had now come to stand amongst them.

"One last thing, eidetic memory?" Morgan asked pointing at her. She nodded and Morgan exploded in laughter, "She's got you beat pretty boy! Smarter, faster and prettier! Welcome to being average like the rest of us!" he teased loudly and the other agents snickered.

Spencer rolled his eyes before extending a hand to Annabelle, "Ignore him. Dr. Spencer Reid, nice to meet you."

Annabelle shook his hand, "Dr. Annabelle Jameson. What were your subjects of study?"

"Dr. as well? I have Ph.D's in mathematics, chemistry and engineering, as well as B.A.'s in psychology and sociology. Yourself?"

"I have two Ph.D's in mathematics and medicine as well as a M.S. in Psychology with a minor in sociology, and a B.A. in child development and B.S. in forensic science."

It was Spencer's brow turn to furrow, "What age did you graduate high school?"

"Ten."

"College?"

"18."

"Where?"

"Harvard."

"Wh-"

"Doc," she cut him off, "Is this an interrogation?"

Spencer froze and he heard his colleague's snicker, "N-no," he stuttered, not helping to quiet the snickering.

"Then could you please help me find my desk?" she looked up at him with her wide gray eyes and he once again froze though this time he was lost looking into the stormy pools.

Morgan cleared his throat as he observed the two, making Reid jump from his trance, "Of course, there's an e-empty desk by mine," he gestured with his hand, directing her to his- now their- area.

She sat at the desk with no belongings and smiled at him widely, "Thank you, Doc."

Staring at her, dazzled by her smile he responded remotely, "Call me Spencer…"

She gave a soft chuckle, "Okay. Thank you Spencer."

Spencer once more snapped out of his gaze and muttered a "No problem," before escaping to the kitchenette ignoring the chuckles around his as he felt his ears ablaze.

"Welcome to the team, Baby girl," Morgan told her grinning like the cat who ate the canary.


	3. Chapter 3

Reid stood by the door as he watched Emily talk to people with ease about their past cases. Awkwardly he shifted back and forth clutching his messenger bag to him as he waited for anyone to talk to him.

After the lack of response from his speech on paraphilia he severely doubted anyone would approach.

About to head for the door he stopped when he felt someone stand next to him and softly say to him, "Logophilia."

Spencer's brain raced for a translation and he slowly churned out, "Love of words," he looked to the voice and found Annabelle standing beside him, her long flowing locks framing her smiling face. She was dressed in a form fitting navy blue dress that hugged her figure, her blazer draped over her arm, the cream color matching her pumps. Once more Spencer found himself starring at his colleague.

She looked up at him and winked, "Can be applied two ways, the love of speaking the words and-"

"Or the love of hearing them… some argue it can be the love of seeing them as well," Spencer added.

"Some? There are discussions- or rather debates on the love of words?" Annabelle questioned, a sassy eyebrow lifting.

Spencer blushed as he mumbled, "My mother… my mother and I have discussed the topic."

Annabelle smiled at the silly boy and placed her arm upon his, "Spencer… I'm just kidding."

She huffed a solitary laugh and patted his arm softly before someone called her over into another conversation.

Spencer watched her leave and tried to slow his racing heart. He didn't know why but the young agent had an effect on him that no one else had. The past two weeks she had been a living hell for him as he saw her in and out every day. When she smiled or even looked at him he couldn't help but stare. When she laughed his breathing hitched. When she spoke to him he froze. Even with his brilliant mind he couldn't help but become a sack of drooling flesh when she was around.

Of course the others had noticed and Morgan had gone onto to tease him, claiming he had a crush, some sort of heavy infatuation with her. When Spencer denied it Morgan propositioned that maybe it was because she was smarter than he was and it dumbfounded him. Spencer immediately refuted that notion. He was happy to have another "genius" around, after an initial drool and stutter the two could actually talk endlessly about different topics ranging from Star Wars to 15th Century Literature.

Frequently the two could be found at the coffee mug chatting away, or at a local restaurant nearby during lunch break. Spencer enjoyed her brain, he enjoyed her company, and he just had to get over her dazzling smile and eyes.

Shaking his head out of his thoughts he left the conference room with one more glance at her.

Annabelle watched as Spencer left out of the corner of her eye, a small frown creasing her face. She quickly wiped the frown away when she remembered someone was talking at her.

"Yes, well we do what we can," she nodded with her response to the thank you. Her phone started to chirp then and she flashed a smile before turning away placing it to her ear.

"Annabelle," she answered.

"You, Reid and Prentiss need to meet us in San Francisco," Hotch directed. Annabelle made eye contact with Emily and motioned to the door.

"Hotch what is it? There's something off in your voice," Annabelle asked as she led Emily out of the room.

"It appears as though the zodiac killer has returned," Hotch admitted skeptically.

Annabelle frowned, "What?"

"You'll see when you arrive."

The two ended the call and Annabelle found Spencer outside, "We got a case."

Spencer jumped to, following behind the women as they headed to the airport.

* * *

Annabelle looked out the window of the plane watching as the sky was littered with wisps of clouds and bathed in a radiant glow of sun.

Spencer sat next to her trying not to stare. Emily sitting in the only vacant seat rows ahead.

"Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach some of us more than we can ever learn from books," Annabelle spoke softly, turning to look at him.

Spencer looked back thinking of who said the quote, "John Lubbock."

Annabelle smiled, "One of my favorite quotes," she settled back into her seat looking straight ahead, "Growing up I wanted to be more of just a plethora of knowledge. I made it my life's mission that for every rare fact I could recite, every ounce of factual knowledge I retained I knew something of the world around me… I didn't want to be on the outside or rather inside my own little bubble," her voice drew quiet as she concluded her confession.

Spencer swallowed but his mouth was dry, "I understand that… I hated not being relevant to the social situations- so to speak."

"It's difficult isn't it? Especially when you're ten and trying to relate to girls and boys who have already endured the inevitable fate of puberty," Spencer smirked at her kid, "And it surely is not easy when those same hormone monsters are envious of a talent that could not be taught."

Spencer observed as her cheeks hollowed and she bit her cherry painted lip tightly between her teeth, forcing blood to rush to the surface. Her eyes not focused on anything in this time and space.

"I don't think I've ever met someone who's understood that… that feeling of true isolation in a sea of people," Spencer admitted. Annabelle looked to him and placed her hand over his own, "I do… and I'm glad that neither of us have to go through that ever again Spencer… we'll be there for each other."

Spencer could feel his ears heat and he ducked his head, not missing her chime-like laugh at his antics.

"Why are you so nervous around me?"

Spencer's head snapped to look at her, "I mean is it because I'm new? You just haven't gotten used to me… do you not like me?"

Spencer shook his side to side aggressively, "No, God no… it's just… I mean…" his voiced fell to an octave only superhuman could hear.

"What?"

Spencer sighed, "You're the better version of… me."

"Again what? Spencer I am not the _better_ version of you. There is no _better_ version of you. You're the one and _only_ YOU!"

"Morgan was right! You _have_ got me beat. You're quantifiably smarter than me, you read faster, you went through the highest level of math there is… plus you're normal. You don't have the social awkwardness that I do, you fit in with others flawlessly both socially and physically, you're beautiful and you don't annoy people with your presence."

Annabelle blinked hard looking back at him, "Well when you put it that way… I mean why are you even still here?"

Spencer's head dropped in shame before a hand forcefully lifted it making look directly into her gray stormy eyes, "Spencer Reid, I never want to hear any of that ever again. I am not a better version of you, I am me and you are you. And you are a brilliant, handsome, loveable man with so many attributes that this team could not function without you. You may have some social awkwardness but only with people who don't understand your beautiful mind. I trained myself for years to blend in with the people around me because I was ashamed of how different I was. You owned your differences and worked with them, and why it may have hurt that not everyone accepted you as is you changed for no one and that is amazing. You are unique and original and your own person stop comparing yourself and embrace that once again."

Spencer stared at her his mouth agape in shock.

A pregnant pause filled their air before Spencer found his voice, "You… you think I'm handsome?"

Annabelle's serious stare down at him cracked as a smile split her face, she started to giggle and dropped her hand from his chin to cover her mouth as she started to laugh. Spencer listened to the melodic sound and couldn't help but giggle with her as well.

* * *

They arrived on the crime scene and immediately sought out Hotch.

As they approached they heard him talking to the Agent about it being the real Zodiac.

"Have any letters or ciphers been received?" Spencer asked as the trio approached.

"Agent Lin this is Dr. Reid, Agent Prentiss, Agent Jameson," Hotch introduced them.

"How was the conference?" JJ asked.

"Enlightening," Spencer responded sarcastically.

"Very," Annabelle quipped sliding a glance in Spencer's direction.

"Has the unsub made any contact?" Emily asked Agent Lin.

"There were two phone calls made to the chronicle this morning both just heavy breathing on the other end. Like the phone calls Zodiac used to make," Lin explained.

"Can I get a physical copy of the online version of today's paper?" Spencer asked and Annabelle nodded, "Smart," she muttered looking at the bloodied car closely, her head tilted in examination.

"You want a print out of the online paper?" Lin questioned.

"Yeah with all the comments printed out as well if possible, thanks," Spencer replied. Lin looked to the others in question and JJ shrugged, "Don't ask."

Lin walked away and Reid and Annabelle muttered at the same time, "It's not the real Zodiac."

Their heads, as well as the others, snapped to face look at each other in surprise.

"How can you be so sure?" Emily asked looking between the two eerily.

Annabelle motioned for Spencer to answer for them, feeling like their answers would be identical, "I just know it… sometimes I can't really explain it," he joined Annabelle in examining the bloodied corvette.

After gathering all the evidence and background they could the five agents headed to the local police department to begin work.

As they approached they noticed a slew of reporters interviewing a man claiming his cousin was the killer.

"The dates match, when Zodiac stopped killing my cousin was put in a mental hospital in Mexico," the man boasted, "he was released two months ago."

"Do you have anything more specific?" a reporter asked.

"He was working on a production of the Mercado in sixty eight, the Zodiac talked about the Mercado in a letter."

Annabelle rolled her eyes at the man and went to step around him but stopped when she heard Reid speak up.

"Excuse me, I'm Dr. Reid with Behavioral Analysis Unit. Was your cousin by chance a Wagner? Because a C.D. of the "Tragic Overture" was sent to the police this morning."

"He loved Wagner, 'specially the "Tragic Overture". It's him," The man lied and Reid stepped in front of the cameras.

"Oh, yeah well for the record a C. not sent to the police this morning. And the "Tragic Overture" was written by Brahms not Wagner so luckily I guess it's not your cousin!" he dismissed the man and Annabelle couldn't help but giggle slightly, "The F.B.I would greatly appreciate it if people would stop making false claims for their fifteen minutes of fame, thank you."

Reid lead the group inside the building and on her way Annabelle stepped up to the man, "Just because your cousin is sleeping with your wife doesn't make it okay for you to try to frame him for multiple murders… get a divorce lawyer."

The man looked at her shocked and walked away and Hotch huffed a laugh beside her.

Reid set to work on the comments from the paper at an empty desk and Annabelle approached him, "Well done outside Mr. Original," he looked up at her and she threw him a smirk and a wink at their little inside joke. She held out a hand, "Give me half. We'll get this done quicker working together," he handed her half the stack and she sat in front of him and set to work.

Hotch approached later checking their progress, "How's it going?"

"Computer's slow me down, but I wasn't expecting the comments. Where do people find the time," He mumbled, annoyed.

"Reid," Annabelle drew his attention to her, "I think I found it. The spam comment has the same symbols as the Zodiac's first letter," she handed him the page with the comment on it.

"It's a code."

"What does it say?" Hotch asked and at the same time the genius's replied, "Killing is the most fun you can have I'll have more fun ninety eight minutes below the horizon in Magic City with President Garfield happy hunting."

Hotch quickly got Garcia on the line.

Garcia answered, "The oracle is in, how may I assist?"

"Garcia, to what specific location does 'Magic City' refer?" Hotch asked.

"Birmingham, Alabama."

He chewed on his cheek, "98 minutes below the horizon… Garcia, what time is sunset there tonight?"

"6:22."

"98 minutes later would be 8:00 p.m.," Annabelle announced. Spencer nodded, "What's dedicated to President Garfield in San Francisco?"

"President Garfield… there's a statue of him in Golden Gate Park."

"Thanks Garcia," Hotch ended the call, "Let's go tell the team."

As Hotch turned away the two cleaned up their mess and Annabelle looked at Spencer, "Nice team work, silly boy."

Spencer looked at her in wonder as she walked to the others, shaking his head out of the clouds he followed suit.


	4. Chapter 4

Annabelle watched the two officers as they waited for someone to show at the Garfield Statue. Her hair pulled back into a ponytail and her dress replaced for a dark blue long sleeve shirt, under a bullet proof vest, a pair of black skinny dress pants that tucked into her mid-calf heeled pleather boots and her FBI labeled jacket.

"No one at the south entrance yet," Another officer announced over the com.

"Copy that," JJ responded.

As eight o'clock ticked closer and closer the tension from the team heightened.

"We've got a vehicle," Hotch announced and slowly Annabelle moved closer to the officers.

"Lone driver."

They all watched as the figure got out of the car and moved closer to the undercover agents, something in his hands.

When he was close enough Hotch called for them to move.

The officers on the bench pulled their weapons and the others moved in.

"Drop it," Hotch commanded his gun trained.

The scarred man quickly dropped an envelope on the ground, "I'm just the messenger. I'm supposed to deliver a letter."

JJ reached down, grabbing the envelope and reading it, "…It's for Reid."

Spencer raised an eyebrow, taking it and opening it up. "You're not as smart as you think you are."

"Who sent it?" Hotch asked.

The man shook his head, "I don't know. I just deliver to the address when I'm supposed to."

"If the unsub isn't here… where is he?" Annabelle asked.

* * *

After questioning the deliveryman they all went back to they all went back to their hotel to sleep on it. In the morning Reid got some coffee from the shop downstairs and went to Annabelle's door.

As he stood outside the door he heard the chimes of Beethoven's 5th Symphony flooding to the hall.

He squinted in slight confusion before giving the door two solid raps.

After a moment the door opened to reveal a very sweaty Annabelle dressed only in a sports bra and a pair of yoga pants. Once more Reid felt his ears turn a brilliant red.

"I uh- brought coffee," he stuttered looking anywhere but at her and handing her the coffee meant for her.

"Thank you, silly boy," she smiled and sipped her coffee.

"Mmmm just the way I like it, excessively sweet," Annabelle complimented and walked back into her room, Reid following.

Reid took in the room, though it was just like his it felt completely different. She had a portable speaker on the bedside table connected to her phone that was playing the song. Her bed itself was made to pass military inspection. Her curtains were open providing the only light in the room. Her go bag was neatly placed at the end of her bed and what he assumed her outfit was for the day, was laid out on the bed above it.

"How long have you been up?" Reid asked curious.

"Two hours, military remember?" She winked at him and Spencer tried to feign ignorance, "Oh, come on Reid let's not act like you didn't read my file… I read yours. I read everyone's."

Spencer's eyes widened in alarm, "R-really what did you find?"

Annabelle dropped the coffee from her lips and looked him directly in the eye, "Nothing worth mentioning," Spencer received the message she conveyed to him about his Dilaudid history and nodded in thanks.

"Well, I'm going to hop in the shower before work, if you wanna wait we can head in together?" Annabelle proposed and Spencer nodded taking a seat on the chair in the room.

Annabelle went into the suite bathroom closing the door just enough to undress behind as she flipped on the shower, "So, any questions?" she called.

Spencer looked to the bathroom and quickly turned red as he saw her reflection in the mirror, it only showed her bare back and shoulders and she stepped into the shower but it still made him flush, "A-about what?"

"My file."

"Well considering there's not a lot _to_ question…"

"Well as you know since I completed the most extreme math class in the country I had one of two options, work for NSA or join a _very_ confidential military operation."

Spencer nodded, "I figured… What was it like? I know you can't tell me anything specific but…"

There was a moment of pause before Annabelle spoke again, her voice softer, "It was everything you could hope it wouldn't be…"

Once more a silence hung around them and Spencer bowed his head in sadness.

"But," Annabelle spoke again, "I have to believe that in some way I did some good in this world with what I did over there… I only hope to add to that good by being on this team."

Spencer nodded once more even though he knew she couldn't see him. He looked up when he hear the water shut off out of reflex but quickly ducked his head again when she began to step out of the shower.

"Excuse me…" she muttered as she strode out of the bathroom to her go bag once more grabbing Spencer's attention. She was wrapped in a white fluffy towel that ended closer to the top of her thighs than not. She pulled a pair of delicate looking lace panties from her bag and a matching bra and Spencer chocked on his coffee with embarrassment.

"It's only underwear, Silly boy," she chided playfully. Taking her clothes in hand she retreated back in to the bathroom and closed the door to dress.

"So Silly boy tell me something that's not in your file… and something that's not in a book," she giggled at her own joke and Spencer smirked.

"Uh, I always wear mismatched socks," Spencer wasn't completely sure why he told her that fact but he smiled at her response.

"Hmmm why is that? Wait, are you color blind?"

"No, not color blind… I just, I don't know I've done it since I was a kid and it became a habit," Spencer admitted partially.

"I think there more to it than that," Annabelle challenged lightly, Spencer could hear the smirk in her voice.

"I may have also worn matched socks once when I was younger and may have twisted my ankle…" Spence mumbled.

"Ah hah, so you think they're lucky!" Annabelle teased.

"No! Luck is a thing made up by people who don't realize the correlation between cause and affect… I just think they help me focus more… on my… feet," Spencer tried to make up a reasonable excuse for his sock choice but failed.

"It's okay," Annabelle came out of the bathroom her hair dried and put up into a high inverted ponytail, her make up done with light eye shadow and eyeliner, mascara and bit of lip balm. She was now dressed in a cream fitted top with a dark magenta cardigan over top and khaki colored fitted skinny dress pants, tucked into brown riding boots. She looked at him sitting in the chair and lifted up her shirt, revealing a black four leaf clover tattoo with green high light in the leaves, "I'm a firm believer in luck, there is no way I would have made it this far without it."

Spencer looked surprised at her tattoo and nodded in agreement with her about luck, "Ready to go?" he asked politely.

"Yep," she took her lock box out of her go bag and put on her holster that was lying on her dresser. She quickly holstered her weapon, made sure she had her credentials and phone and grabbed her coffee before leading him out.

* * *

As they met up with the others they were told two more bodies were found. After visiting the bodies and determining that the unsub was on a rushed timeline and was taunting Reid since he gave his name to the reports the two were given direction to look for more codes from the unsub, The two genius's set up shop at a nearby coffee shop and set to work.

"So, I know it's my first case but is this usually how you are on all cases or is something up?" Annabelle asked innocently.

"What do you mean?"

"Please, you're borderline depressive, anxious and you seem to be almost offended that this killer has challenged you, called you out. Once again I may be new but I do have masters in Psychology."

"Do you ever wonder if you lived up to expectations?"

Annabelle paused, "I used to… my parents,' Spencer didn't miss the tension in her voice at the word, "expected nothing less than perfection and growing up I _had_ to meet their expectations. Now, my only expectation for myself is to do what is right and what makes me happy."

"You're not even twenty-five…I thought I'd cure schizophrenia by the time I was twenty-five," He smiled slightly, "You know, when I was a kid, people told me that I could do anything."

"You're afraid you've let people down?"

"…No, I'm afraid I've let myself down."

"By not curing schizophrenia?"

"No, just because…" he cleared his throat, shaking his head slightly, "I don't know why I'm in the FBI."

"I see. You're a genius, but you have the same job as Emily, Morgan, JJ…"

"Yeah, exactly," he joked, smirking and shaking his head, "No, that's not what I'm saying. It's just sometimes… sometimes I kind of get this feeling like maybe I should have done something more with my life."

"Silly boy, you save lives… you stop evil from spreading… in my book that's pretty damn important," Annabelle contested.

"Is that why you joined?"

Annabelle looked at the man before her and for a moment her answer changed in her head but she flashed him a smile and nodded sweetly.

"Spencer you're thirty years old, and you already do so much and have done so much good. Don't compare yourself to others so much. Everyone has their part in this world and you are doing yours."

Spencer gave a solemn nod and returned to his paper, "Funny the new girl remembers my age but my team still thinks I'm in my twenty's… You know, you're pretty wise for a kid."

Annabelle's eyebrows sprung to the sky, "You're really going to start calling me kid?"

"Hey I'm not the baby on the team anymore…" Spencer teased.

Annabelle scoffed as she rose from her seat to get a refill, before her eyebrow lifted in sass again, "Well I guess you're right, you're just an old man now. Need a refill old man, wouldn't want you breaking a hip trying to get up?"

Spencer glared at her playfully as he handed her his cup. He couldn't help himself as he watched her walk away. Shaking his head he looked back at his paper.

When Annabelle returned with their nectar Spencer was calling Hotch, "I got it," he told both her and the two headed out.

* * *

Once they arrived in Chinatown, they met up with Hotch. Spencer walked beside him, trying to explain how he'd found the code, "The spam had to be converted from matrix code to binary code, then switched to base eight before being translated back into letters. I can go into more detail if you want."

"Uh, no," Hotch said plainly, "How smart would a person have to be to write a code like that?"

"Beyond smart. Profoundly gifted, an IQ of at least 160," He gave them both a quick look before walking into the building, going through the different papers on the table.

"That changes the profile then."

Annabelle and Spencer dug through the stacks of papers together and Annabelle responded, "The unsub could still hold a menial or low-level job. Many believe that beyond an IQ of 120, success is determined by other factors. This is a bilingual paper. The English version should be somewhere."

While they searched Hotch went outside to call Garcia about anyone with high IQs. Annabelle found the paper and handed it to Spencer.

"Old men like to solve puzzles right?" Annabelle teased and Spencer rolled his eyes with a smirk and he walked out, opening it up and standing next to Hotch.

"All right, this is it."

He scanned the page before pointing to the article, "You could do so much better," Hotch read out.

"I'll talk to the manager, see if they know who placed the ad," Annabelle said, before walking outside.

Spencer raised an eyebrow, "Who's this message for? The writer is a genius, but the recipient would have to be too, in order to decode it."

Their discussion was ended with Hotch's phone ringing, "Yeah, Dave? All right," He hung up, turning to Spencer, "A cabdriver's just been murdered."

Spencer was sitting cross-legged in one of the chairs, trying to come up with an answer. He got up, digging through the photos at high speed, looking for something specific. He heard Annabelle mention the surveillance footage from the newspaper, but this unsub knew better and knew how to cover his tracks. He continued going through the stack, shuffling through the photos.

"Spence, you okay?"

"Nothing is accidental," he said, not looking up, "Nothing this unsub does is accidental," He started putting the photos back on the board, "The message in the China Weekly Post was on page F-4. Why F-4?"

"…Well, that's where the classifieds were?" Derek suggested.

"It's more than that." He licked his lips, trying to find his answer on his own.

"F4 is a space on a chess board… what if this whole thing is…" Annabelle's questioned dies off as she got to the nearest computer. An officer saw her sit at the desk and approached.

"You're going to need my log-" he was cut off with the chimes of the computer unlocking, he looked to Hotch in slight bewilderment.

"Don't ask," Hotch replied and the team gathered around her as she layered a map of the area and a chessboard on the screen aligning the board to perfectly sit the crime scenes.

JJ raised an eyebrow, "He murdered people according to a chess game?"

"Specifically, game six of Fischer versus Spassky in 1972, one of the greatest chess matches ever played. The murder locations correspond with the final three moves of the game."

Hotch dialed Garcia, having her look through the people with high IQ's and cross referencing it with professional chess players. When that resulted in nothing, she expanded the search to high level amateurs.

"Get ready to love me more. I did a search of chess players rated 2200 or higher, which would make them masters but not necessarily professionals. I cross-referenced that search with Zodiac experts and came up with two former chess prodigies and best friends who used to write about the Zodiac in their junior high school newspaper, and I get bonus points because they both have IQs over 160."

"Where are they?" Hotch asked.

"In San Francisco. Caleb Rossmore is a city parks employee. Harvey Morell is an engineer at a Chinese computer firm. He's about to get married. And yes, I just e-mailed you all this information right… now."

JJ picked up her tablet, pulling up the images, "The fiancee, Marisa Devon, looks like the two female victims. They were surrogates for her."

"Caleb could be jealous of his friend," Derek suggested.

"Or what if he's afraid of losing Harvey?" Emily added.

Spencer shook his head, "If he was a child prodigy, he may no longer feel special as an adult. He could be trying to hold on to him." He tried to ignore Annabelle's slight glare at the irony in his words.

"Harvey's engagement could have been a trigger."

Hotch then pointed to Spencer, "Reid, I know Spassky conceded the match, but what would the next move have been?"

He pointed to the screen where the map was still up, "Spassky would've been checkmated, or he would have lost his queen." Spencer pointed out the square where the move would have occurred.

Hotch nodded, "JJ, take Rossi, Annabelle and Prentiss in one of the SUVs. Reid, you come with Morgan and I in another."

They all nodded and quickly headed to gear up.

Spencer sat in the backseat while Hotch was on the phone with Garcia and the other car and Derek took the passenger seat, "Spassky's queen was in square E-8, so that would land us in Richmond," he explained. "Garcia, is there a connection between that location and the two men?"

"Checking now. Uh… Bingo. Harvey's dad worked there as a chemistry teacher in the '60s. And… oh, uh, Caleb lived there in 2008. He worked at the Powerlinks Gym on 2nd and Hill, and the Dragon Temple Restaurant at 636 Mason."

Hotch thought quickly. "All right, JJ, you go to the gym; we'll check out the restaurant."

"Copy that," she said, and Spencer saw the SUV behind them take a turn.

Rossi hung up his phone. "Zablonsky's wife recognized the photos of Caleb and Harvey. They interviewed the detective for an article they were writing about the Zodiac when they were kids."

"Oh, they wrote a "Crime Beat" column in the newspaper," Garcia said, pulling something up.

JJ shook her head. "One of them stole the photo left at the first crime scene."

"It had to be Caleb. The message 'You can do so much better' in the Chinese paper was meant for Harvey."

"That means the original spam message was for him, too," Emily added.

"Well, how did Caleb know that Harvey wouldn't turn him in?" Derek asked.

"Caleb has something on him, or he's holding the fiancée hostage."

"Shut the front door!" Garcia said. "They were interviewed by police in 2000 about a crime in their hometown."

"…What crime?" Spencer asked.

"The disappearance of Robbie Shaw."

Spencer looked at the other two agents in the SUV, "That's got to be it. They might have murdered him and Caleb could very easily release the location of his body, putting the both of them in prison and separating him and Marisa for good."

JJ sighed, "Then why take Marisa?"

"Reid said it before, even though Caleb is playing the game with Harvey he still wants to win. He still wants to take Harvey's queen. If the two killed together especially at such a young age they have formed a strong relationship. This relationship though is going to have a dominant and a submissive only this submissive is growing with the absence of his dominant. He's wants to challenge his partner but is still seeking approval from him. He's planning on killing her, only he's hoping to get Harvey in on it," Annabelle added.

The team nodded in agreement and set off to their respective locations.

After the restaurant had been confirmed to be the location of the murderers, JJ turned the car around and the team raced to be back up.

"So…" Annabelle spoke up breaking the silence of the car, "I just wanted to ask you all something."

"Shoot," Rossi spoke for the trio.

"Spencer and I were talking today and he mentioned something about how you guys think he's in his twenty's?" Annabelle probed.

"What about it? Spencer is twenty-nine," Emily answered curious as to why she was bringing it up.

"Well the thing is he's thirty," Annabelle told and watched as the others faces dropped in realization, "The only reason I mention anything is because as you all know he's been a little down lately about where he belongs and what he has done… I know I'm new to the team but I was hoping we could all cheer him up when we get back with a surprise party?"

The car was silent as the news sunk in, finally JJ spoke, "I think that is a wonderful idea."

Annabelle smiled and the team set to work planning their surprise as they neared the restaurant.

The team handed the two murderers off to the local authorities and the woman to the paramedics and made their way home.

* * *

In the morning they were given an hour of leeway by Hotch to be in since they had gotten in so late.

Spencer smiled to himself as he sipped on his favorite coffee as he exited the elevator and made his way to his desk.

He was quickly intercepted by a smiling Annabelle, dressed in a tan top, peach blazer with the sleeves rolled to her elbows, pair of dark skinny jeans and soft blue pumps. Her hair was in soft waves and her makeup was light. She beamed at him and he couldn't help but to smile in return.

"Hey, Old Man Hotch wants to talk to you."

He groaned, making a face, pretty sure he knew why he wanted to talk to him alone.

She looked at him, concerned, "What's wrong?"

"He probably wants to talk to me about why I've been kind of weird lately."

"Well that's what ya get when ya act like a big baby. You're far too old to be acting that way sir," she teased and Spencer rolled his eyes with a smile.

"I'm never going to get rid of that name am I Kid?" Spencer challenged and Annabelle's eyes narrowed in fake anger, "Not as long as you call me Kid, Old Man."

The two glared at each other playfully before giggles escaped both their mouths.

When the giggles died Annabelle looked up at him softly, "You are making a difference, you know. One person at a time."

He smirked slightly, "Thank you. You know, I've been thinking a lot lately about why I stayed after Gideon left, why I didn't take any of those other offers." He never told anybody else on the team, but he'd been offered several positions over the last few years, many of which had much better hours and involved much less violence and danger, but he and Annabelle had discussed them over one of their lunches in the past.

She gave a slight nod, "Nothing is accidental."

"And I realized, I don't know, there's just something… incredibly right about being here. With you… guys."

She smiled at him and took the crook of his elbow in her arms and started to walk him into the office, "Well, I'm glad to hear that… Otherwise, this would have been really awkward."

"What would have been really awkward?" Spencer asked confused though his eyes remained glue to her arms wrapped around his.

Annabelle led him to their conference room and upon opening the door the rest of the team and she shouted, "Surprise!"

Spencer's entire face lit up as his family greeted him and he hugged and shook hands with them. Laughing as Rossi kissed him on both cheeks he then turned to Garcia who had made a cake for him with the big "30" candles on top.

The group softly sang happy birthday before Spencer blew out the candles and they cheered more.

As they all sat down to enjoy their cake, Spencer eyed Annabelle, pointing his fork at her, "This is your doing."

"Excuse me?" she asked, setting her plate down feigning innocent.

He nodded, taking another bite, "You took it upon yourself to "cheer me up"… Thanks… Kid."

"Any time Old Man. Any time," she smiled at him and the two remained eye locked, unbeknownst to them Garcia was urgently slapping Derek's arm.

"Baby girl, are you trying to bruise me?"

"Look!" was all she said pointing to the two geniuses who were still in a staring at each other dreamily.

"Oh ho-ho! Pretty Boy's got it bad!" Derek ribbed looking at the two.

"Uh-huh," Garcia agreed, "And Baby girls just as bad… How long do you give it before they kiss?"

"Two weeks," Derek said pulling a ten out of his pocket.

Garcia took the money with her mouth agape, "You're on I say baby girl's got some game… one week." She slid the money into her bra and the two were interrupted at two more tens appeared in her face.

"Ten days," Hotch said handing over the money.

"Twelve," added Rossi.

The quartet brought JJ and Emily into the betting pool all watching the youngest members chat away without a care in the world.


	5. Chapter 5

"I don't know, I'm a huge fan of the Doctor but… I love Sherlock I mean come on, Benedict Cumberbatch," Annabelle argued.

Spencer rolled his eyes, "Don't tell me you're a Cumberbi-"

"I prefer the term Cumbercookie that way when there are a sum of fans they are called a Cumberbatch," Annabelle smiled.

"Cute," Spencer smirked. The two sat opposite at a coffee shop, Annabelle sipping on her latte and Spencer his coffee. As had become their routine the two spent a lot of time together, Annabelle lived two stops into his morning subway route and every morning he got off to find her waiting for him above ground they got coffee at a shop nearby before getting back on the subway and continuing to work. Every night they rode home together, Spencer walked her home and sometimes she'd invite him in for dinner or a drink and then he would head home.

On the weekends the two geniuses could be found at the park, or museum or the coffee house but where you found one the other was not far behind.

"Do you have a copy of a 425 on hand? I spilt coffee on mine at home last night and I need it for the "Piano Man" case last week," Annabelle asked sweetly.

"Yeah sure no problem," Spencer handed her the sheet of paper out of his messenger bag, unbeknownst to her it being his only copy.

"So Dr…." Annabelle trailed as she looked down at her coffee.

"Dr…." Spencer responded.

"I was wondering if you-" Her words that made Spencer's heart beat accelerate and his mouth run dry in anticipation of the ending were cut short as both of their cell phones lit up.

Annabelle rolled her eyes playfully and answered hers as Spencer followed suit, annoyance brimming the surface of his lips, "Yes?"

"Woah- Spence its JJ. What is up with the hostility from everyone this morning?"

Spencer's voice and face softened as he sighed and tried again, "Sorry. What's up?"

"We got a case. I'm guessing I'm interrupting something?"

Spencer's eyes fluttered to Annabelle who was on the phone with who he guessed was Hotch by the way she was speaking, "Yeah… I mean no! I mean- I don't know."

"Annabelle?" JJ asked wondering if the pool had been won.

Spencer groaned, "Yes… is it that obvious?"

"Spence, not only do you spend all your time together- yes we all know- but the way you two look at each other-"

"You two? Wait, you think she- she" Spencer looked at Annabelle, who was still on her phone with Hotch, he turned around in his chair and lowered his voice, "You think she feels the same?"

"Think?" JJ laughed, "Spence the girl can't keep her eyes off of you! Not only that but when start to ramble your statistics it's like someone is playing her favorite song and Reid, the girl is a certified genius, do you really think she needed you to show her how the coffee machine worked, five times?" JJ sighed a smile in her voice, "The others are going to kill me for telling you but we all have a pool on who and how long it will take to make the first move."

"Others?" Spencer froze.

"Yep, the whole team."

"Rossi?"

"Yep."

"Hotch?!"

"Yep, he's rooting for you kid, but his deadline is coming up."

"Oh…" The young genius's mind froze with surprise and fear and thrill and hope and anxiety and a lot of other indescribable emotions.

"Spencer, not right now because you two need to get a move on it, but- when we get back- ask the girl out already."

Spencer's eyes blinked and his head moved slowly, nodding up and down, "O…k….."

"Now get here," JJ hung up and Spencer looked down at his phone in shock before putting it away slowly and turning to the girl before him.

He found her off her phone, her stuff put away and ready to go looking at him expectantly, "Everything okay?"

Spencer eyes lingered on her before he shook his head and snapped out of it, "Yeah. Ready?"

"Aye, Aye, Captain," Annabelle joked and she got up.

Spencer's brow creased in confusion and Annabelle looked up at his face at his silence and her jaw dropped, "Really? No Sponge Bob? I mean even I wasn't that big of a fan and I still know the song."

Spencer just smiled and shrugged, "Oh Old Man we are so adding that to the list of cultural relevance you need to be updated on."

"Long title," Spencer quipped.

"Longer list," Annabelle retorted.

* * *

Annabelle sat next to Reid at the round table, examining the file before her. Her plum painted bottom lip being chewed between her teeth as she went over every detail.

As the rest of the team joined the two they began to debrief.

"Danny Savino, the floor manager at the Sapphire Lady Casino in Atlantic City, was found dead in his office this morning," Hotch began as he presented the images on the monitor.

"Blunt force trauma to the head. An empty wallet and money clip left next to the body," Rossi informed as he sat with the rest.

Derek looked at his file, "Mug shot. This guy's got a record."

"Savino was a member of the Agnoli crime family," Rossi told and Annabelle nodded before Garcia stumbled in, buttoning up her clothes.

"Sorry, I'm sorry," she apologized as she entered and Annabelle couldn't help but smirk.

"They're active in the Atlantic City area," Rossi continued.

"How's the head?" Annabelle overheard JJ ask Garcia.

"Not all the aspirins in all the pharmacies," Garcia complained and pouted.

"Looks like a robbery gone bad. Why was the BAU called in?" Emily asked Hotch.

"Eight one-dollar bills surrounding an eight card. That's highly ritualistic," Annabelle noted and the others nodded.

"And because Savino has ties to organized crime, agents in New Jersey are worried about things escalating," Hotch explained to the others and Derek added, "It doesn't take much to ignite a Mob war.

"And, collateral damage means nothing to these guys. If we don't get a handle on this soon, innocent people are going to die," Rossi stated.

They were dismissed to grab their things and get to the plane within the hour, as they exited Annabelle stepped up beside Garcia.

"I couldn't help but over hear," Annabelle told and Garcia groaned slightly, Annabelle chuckled and nudged her playfully in the arm, "Take four airborne with vitamin c in a glass of iced tea and then chug a bottle of pedialyte."

Garcia looked at her confused, "The stuff for babies?"

Annabelle nodded with a knowing look, "Trust me girl. I've done my research," she winked at the tech genius before walking to Spencer who was waiting for her by the door.

Garcia looked at her retreating form in suspicion, "Huh, well anything is better than this," before she grabbed her purse and keys and headed to the nearest store.

The group sat on the plane, Reid, Morgan, Prentiss and JJ sat the table discussing mob movies.

""No question. Godfather II, hands down," Emily stated.

"No, no. Got to be Scarface," Morgan argued.

JJ smiled, "For me, The Untouchables. Spence?"

"Oh, probably Le Cercle Rouge, the 1970s French classic. But Den Tredje Vaagan is definitely a close second," Reid explained and Annabelle couldn't help but smirk as she typed away on her computer at her seat by Hotch.

"Yeah. That was my runner-up, too," Emily teased and the others chuckled.

"What about you, Rossi? Best-ever gangster flick?" JJ asked.

"I've had too much of the real thing to be a fan of Mob movies," Rossi told the others as he sat beside the newest member of the team.

"Annabelle?" Derek asked and all their eyes turned to her as she continued to type.

"Tous les hommes sont coupables. Ils naissent innocents, mais il ne dure pas," Annabelle spoke and the others looked at her with confusion.

Annabelle stopped typing and looked up at them with a warm smile, "It's a line from Le Cercle Rouge which is a great film," Reid smiled at her and she winked, "But, it comes in second to the great Scarface."

"My girl!" Derek extended a fist bump and she happily obliged, "So, you speak French?"

Annabelle nodded, "French, German, Spanish, Mandarin, Italian, Russian, Japanese, Portuguese, several Norse languages and several dialects found in the Middle East."

The others were dumbfounded as they stared at her, even Hotch who had read her file.

"Why so many?" Emily asked as she found her words.

Annabelle bit her lip and winced and the others answered for her, "Classified."

Annabelle nodded regrettably and sighed.

"You know baby girl you've been with us what? A couple weeks? And we still don't know that much about you," Derek noted.

Annabelle smiled, "Well, a lot of why's and where's and when's I can't tell you. But, I can still tell you somethings. How would you all like to come over to my place after the case and I'll cook you all dinner? You could bring your families?"

"You cook?" Rossi asked a smile lighting his face and Annabelle nodded.

"Very well actually. I think I've gained at least three pounds since Annabelle has been with us," Spencer added, his eyes scanning his book.

The other's eyes all met with a knowing look and Derek spoke up, "You've been over, Pretty boy?" he asked playfully and Spencer's eyes met his in slight panic as he realized what he had said and the teasing that could come from it.

"I cook for Spencer most nights actually. He lives two subway stops up from me so we head home together," Annabelle explained and once more the knowing looks were passed around and Spencer groaned inwardly as he dropped his head.

"Well, all I can say is thank God there's another chef now," Rossi redirected, feeling for the young man, "I'll be there."

"Well you can count me and Kevin there," Garcia piped up from her monitor.

Derek and Emily nodded their responses and Spencer muttered a "me too" still embarrassed and worried for the hazing to come.

"Will and I will bring Henry," JJ told and Hotch nodded as well, "I think it's a great idea, count Jack and I in."

Annabelle's head turned to the side, "Jack?"

"My son," Hotch informed realizing that he had never mentioned him to her before.

It was micro but Annabelle's eyes widened slightly and internally her heart stopped for a second.

She quickly placed a smile on her face and nodded, "It's going to be great."

The others nodded with smiles in agreement and a new excitement filled the stale air of the plane.

* * *

As the plane landed Hotch gave the team their assignments, "All right, Reid and Prentiss, go to the crime scene. Dave, you Annabelle and JJ, find out if Savino was involved in anything the local authorities don't know about; Morgan and I will contact the local FBl office and arrange a cease-fire with the families."

"Actually, Sir, I have some experience with mediation, as well as in most mobs women are viewed as off limits and honored. Though it is headed by mainly men the social patterns are extremely matriarchal, you might have better luck if a woman is in the room asking for a bereavement."

Hotch nodded his agreement in the team set off to their different locations.

Annabelle sat in the passenger seat as Hotch drove to the FBI office.

"It looks as though we have to meet with Mr. Cappiocili and Mr. Montedorne. Both have headed their respective families for fifteen plus years and have been on our watch list for that entire time," Annabelle read to the two men off of her computer.

Hotch glanced toward her and her computer, "That's not a sanctioned government computer," he stated.

"God no," Annabelle chuckled, "Those things are slower than pouring honey out of a refrigerated bottle."

"Then how are you on our database?" Hotch inquired.

Annabelle pursed her lips, "I may or may not have slipped my way into the FBI main frame depending on how you would react if I may have."

"It's highly illegal," Hotch stated, he wasn't angry just cautious.

Annabelle smirked, "Trust me the only repercussions I need to worry about is yours, Sir. Not only am I untraceable in the mainframe but I could quite honestly commit high treason and walk scotch free," she mumbled out before her eyes widened and she looked to Hotch in shock.

"Not that I would, Sir. I just mean that-"

Hotch smirked, "Relax. I understand, Classified?"

Annabelle visibly relaxed and nodded, "Classified."

"Girl how much of your life isn't classified?" Derek asked from the back leaning into the space between the two.

Annabelle thought for a moment before she responded, "Almost thirty-five percent. But at least eighty percent of that I don't like to talk about," she told him sadly and her eyes cast back towards her computer.

Hotch looked at Derek in the mirror in concern and Derek nodded understandingly, he placed a comforting hand on the young woman's shoulder and felt her tense at first but then relax into it. Her hand coming to rest atop of his.

* * *

"We appreciate your cooperation," Hotch told the two mob bosses as they all stood, Annabelle shaking their hands on the way out and each of them bringing the hand to their lips to kiss it as they exited.

As they left Agent Goslin walked Reid and Prentiss into the room, "Agent Goslin," Hotch greeted.

"Any luck with our Mob bosses?" She asked in return.

"Well, I think we bought some time. Good call on being here they couldn't stop looking back at you as we talked," Morgan praised Annabelle.

"What about the crime scene?" Annabelle asked.

"Savino purposely bypassed the standard casino security," Emily explained.

"And I think we know why," Rossi interjected as he and JJ entered.

"Danny Savino supplemented his income by loaning money to casino patrons," JJ explained to the Agents.

"Explains why he changed the camera in his office. He didn't want his bosses to know he was freelancing," Reid told.

"So we're looking for a gambler," Hotch deduced.

"A gambler in Atlantic City. That narrows the field," Annabelle said sarcastically.

Not soon after setting up they were called to another dead body that appeared to have the same markings of the unsub.

As Derek, JJ and Rossi went to the scene Annabelle stayed at office to prep for the profile. She sat at her computer, building the profile with all the knowledge the team had obtained.

Her phone lit up and she checked the I.D. before answering it, "Did it work?" she asked playfully.

"You are a goddess among us meek mortals! I have never felt better after being so ugh!" Garcia praised and Annabelle laughed.

"Well you're welcome, glad to help, one fellow hangoveree to another," Annabelle teased.

"Well that's not the only reason I was calling… a little birdy mentioned to me that we have another computer genius in our midst," Garcia hinted and Annabelle rolled her eyes.

"Let me guess, this little birdy happened to be six two and have a head like a cue ball dipped in the richest and creamiest of chocolates," Annabelle sassed.

"Oh baby girl, I think you may give me a run for my queen of sass."

"No, no honey, that crown was already mine," Annabelle shot back.

"Oh yeah huh? Well what about your tech work? How good are you?" Garcia challenged and Annabelle rolled her eyes.

"You really want to find out?" Annabelle challenged back.

"Bring it."

Annabelle smiled before saving her completed work minimizing her screens before typing away.

A few moments passed and Garcia chuckled, "Seems like you're a little slow on your game baby."

"Oh really?" Annabelle asked, her smirk coming through the phone, "On your computer left hand side, there's a new file named H. D. Y. L. M. N. see it?"

"Yeah…"

"Click on it," Garcia did as she was told and when she did she saw Annabelle's face pop up on her screen in a video conference, Garcia's mouth dropped in shock, "By now I've already copied and downloaded everything to ever grace your computer screens as well as most if not all of the entire networks." Annabelle taunted.

Garcia was gapping like a fish, "My firewalls didn't even detect anything… H-how?"

Annabelle raised an eyebrow at her and Garcia groaned, "Classified. Of course. You have to teach me your ways oh little one! I must know."

Annabelle chuckled, "One day young grasshopper, one day," she looked away from the screen and noticed the team had returned, she looked back at Garcia, "I've got to go but we can totally have a girl/tech night one night later deal?"

"Deal, go save the world baby girl. Momma will be here when you return," Garcia closed out and let the younger woman get to work.

* * *

After giving the profile the team was once again called to yet another body. Once again Annabelle stayed behind this time with JJ, Rossi and Morgan.

Since they had already delivered the profile and were waiting for Reid, Prentiss and Hotch to return to return Annabelle used the time to work on her new project.

She was interrupted with the sound of Morgan calling to her, "Hey Baby Belle what ya up to?"

She looked away from her computer, her fingers still flying across the keys as she saved her work, "Nothing, just some coding work…" she closed her lap top softly, "Baby Belle?" she asked curiously, her brow lifted.

Morgan gave her his charming smile, "New nickname, what ya think?"

Annabelle's face dropped into a serious frown and her eyes squinted in anger, "I think my correct title is Agent Annabelle Jameson and I should be directed as such. I don't see you call calling Agent Rossi, Baby anything."

Morgan's eyes widened in shock and he stuttered to make an apology and Annabelle looked him dead on.

As he stumbled Annabelle couldn't keep it in anymore and started to crack a smile, then a giggle which then became a full out laugh, "Relax Brows, I'm just messing with ya. Call me whatever you want."

Morgan's face lit with shock and he shook his head at her, "Oh Baby's got game. You're good, I'll get you back for that."

"Bring it, Mr. Clean."

"Oh you got jokes?"

"Yeah apparently I'm the only one who does," Annabelle challenged him and she noticed Hotch walking in and nodding them over and she placed her belongings in her bag before walking up to Morgan.

"Face it pretty boy, I'm just funnier," she patted his shoulder condescendingly and walked away, leaving Morgan behind in surprise.

"Hey, I'm not pretty boy! Reid," Morgan started to call after her but realizing he was yelling after the young woman in the middle of an FBI office he lowered his voice drastically as Agents started to stare, "Reid is pretty boy."

"I don't know Mr. Clean, you seem pretty to me. I mean," she turned as she was walking back to face him, "those eyebrows of ours look pretty primped and primed. You have to tell me who does them."

Annabelle turned back around and left him standing there trying to think of a comeback.

* * *

"So we need 100,000 to send two agents in to play poker?" Rossi clarified and his colleagues nodded.

"The unsub is highly volatile, we can't risk sending an agent in alone and the buy in is 50,000 thousand each," Emily explained. Hotch walked back into the room looking at his cell and Emily checked, "Any luck?"

"No, they don't want to allocate emergency funds for the buy-in. I'm still working on it," Hotch explained exiting once more.

"Well, I can't imagine why not. We're only asking for 100,000 so that FBl agents can play "Texas Hold 'Em," Rossi said.

"Hey, what about you?" Emily suddenly asked perplexed.

"What about me, what?" Rossi shot back.

"You could stake us the buy-in."

"Yeah, you're a best-selling author." Reid added to the conversation sitting by him.

"No."

"Why not?"

"One, I am not forking over 100 k for a poker game," Rossi started and Annabelle cut him off.

"What if it wasn't 100,000?"

"We have to send in two Agents-"

"What if one was a date? The high rollers almost always bring a date to things like these and adding a date would make whoever goes in looking more legitimate," Annabelle explained and the others nodded.

"Well it's against regulations, and I'd like to hold onto this job for a little while longer," Rossi tried again this time JJ interjected, "It's a minor administrative violation."

"Well, I prefer to spend my money on actual things like single-malt scotch, a fine cigar, beautiful artwork," Rossi told them, knowing it was a losing fight.

"Poker chips are things," Emily teased.

"Maybe just think of it as, like, a new experience," Reid tried to help, "I mean, at your age, how often does that happen?"

"At my what?" Rossi asked and Annabelle who sat on the other side put her hand over Reid's mouth from responding and waved Rossi off with an apology.

"Rossi, this may be our only chance to get this guy," JJ pleaded and Rossi sighed.

"All right, fine. I'm a decent poker player, but I can't promise that I can stay in the game - long enough to-"

"You know what? I bet you're a great poker player, but what if we sent in Reid?" Emily proposed.

Taking Annabelle's hand off his mouth Reid responded, "I am banned from casinos in Las Vegas, Laughlin, and Pahrump because of my card-counting ability."

All though the two youngest in the room didn't realize it, it didn't slip past the older agents how Reid didn't drop her hand, still holding it even though both of their hands rested on the table.

"Look, I know I'm not a genius like the boy wonder or super girl over here, but poker is not blackjack. It's about bluffing, reading human nature, head games. It's not math," Rossi argued slightly offended.

Reid got up from the table only letting go of Annabelle's hand then as he began to write on the dry erase board, "That's not entirely accurate. There actually is a mathematical equation for knowing when to raise and when to fold. If "P" represents the size of the pot at the time of play, the - 1, with "N" representing the estimated number of players at the final round - of betting-"

"Okay, fine, I surrender. Just try not to lose all of my money," Rossi reprimanded and Spencer gave him a thumbs up.

Annabelle looked at the other two women in the room, "So which one of us is going in as his date?"

Emily and JJ looked at each other and raised an eyebrow in silent agreement before looking back at the youngest girl, "You," they both answered.

"But I'm the newest-"

"You're the one that suggested it," JJ told.

"And, you're the one who could probably blend in with that crowd the easiest. Like you said all the high rollers will be wearing young beautiful women on their arms," Emily said and Annabelle went to speak but was cut off by JJ, "Plus it will be great experience, duo undercover work."

Annabelle sighed and looked to Spencer, "You good with it?"

Spencer gave the same thumbs up that he gave Rossi and Emily and JJ rose from the table "Rossi you fill Hotchner in, Annabelle you come with us," Emily commanded and Annabelle got up.

"Where are we going?" Annabelle asked.

"Well as cute as you look," JJ started glancing over Annabelle's outfit , a cream blouse with long sleeves and a bow at the neck with a pair of high waist black work pants with a black peep toe pumps peeking out underneath, "You have to look the part. We need to go grab you clothes to fit in. We'll be back in an hour," she informed the boys and the trio left.

Spencer puffed air out, with wide eyes as he plopped back down in his seat and Rossi chuckled, "You're in trouble kid," before he left the boy wonder to go inform Hotch and Morgan.

* * *

The boys were waiting for the girls to return outside the FBI office. Other agents were setting up the mobile unit as they watched the car that would drop off Reid and Annabelle pull up.

They were making small conversation about the case before Morgan got their attention.

"Holy-"

The other three men's eyes shifted to see the girls walking toward them a smiling JJ and Emily flanking a done up Annabelle.

Her hair was down and flowing framing her smiling face. Gone were the pant and blouse, replaced with a tight black body con dress that had a deep plunging v-neck and cut outs below her breasts. The only thing that remained from her previous outfit were her five in black peep toe pumps, making her legs look as though they were a mile long.

Reid's mouth dropped in astonishment and his eyes glue to her nearing form.

Rossi gave a low whistle, clapping the young man on the back, "You my friend are going to be the envy of all."

Reid went to respond but found that his mouth was not connected to his brain, making the other three men laugh at his expense.

When the three women stood before the men Annabelle beamed at Reid, "Are you ready?" to which Reid only nodded his response once more causing the others to giggle.

"Here's your alarm," Hotch said handing over a small bracelet with a small circular pendent on it, "Press the pendent either one of you are in distress or if you make a positive I.D."

Annabelle gave a firm nod in response and looked to Emily to help her place the bracelet on her wrist.

"Ok," Hotch said once the bracelet was on, "Let's go."

The others got into the mobile unit sharing snickers and looks and Annabelle and Spencer stood on the sidewalk as their car pulled up with their Agent driver.

The car pulling up knocked Spencer from his daze and he quickly acted pulling the door open for Annabelle to get in. She thanked him as he closed her door and walked around to the other side.

For a couple of minutes the car was silent as they drove to the private gambling establishment until Annabelle spoke up, "So, banned from casinos huh?"

"Y-yeah," Spencer cleared his throat, "Card counting."

Annabelle tuned toward him, "You must be pretty good then."

Spencer shrugged and Annabelle smirked, "We should play on the way home."

"Are you good?"

Annabelle smirked, "Yeah, card counting."

She giggled and Spencer couldn't help but smile in return.

The car neared the building and Annabelle took a deep breathe, "First time undercover?" Spencer asked.

"Not exactly… let's just say my last experience wasn't so good."

Spencer nodded solemnly as the car pulled into the drive way, "you know," Spencer looked to Annabelle who was looking out the window at all the gamblers, "This isn't how I pictured our first date."

Attending's opened their doors and Annabelle got out leaving a blanched Spencer frozen in shock at her words.

"Sir?" the attending asked and Spencer got out and quickly caught up to Annabelle.

"You- You've pictured our first date?" Spencer asked, still in shock.

Annabelle smiled up at him, even in her tall heels she still had to tilt her head up to meet his eyes, "Of course… haven't you?"

Spencer couldn't respond, his heart was beating too fast and his stomach was not filled with a weird fluttering.

"Now come on Old Man," Annabelle wrapped her arm around his, "Game faces," she lead him to the entry line and Spencer finally found his words.

"So, you wouldn't be opposed if after we got back… I asked you out?" he asked timidly.

Annabelle gave a short laugh, "Opposed? Spencer I have been waiting for you to ask me out for a week now. I was finally going to bite the bullet and do it Sunday but…"

"The case."

"Yeah. So no Spencer, I would definitely not be opposed if you asked me out."

Spencer couldn't help the goofy grin that filled his face, "I'll uh I'll keep that in mind."

Annabelle giggled at his response and the two were patted down as they entered the room, after getting Spencer's chips Annabelle squeezed his arm, "Let's find us a bad guy."

Spencer sat his first table and like the other girls around the room, Annabelle stood behind him, a hand on his shoulder, giving her the perfect view to observe the room.

After a couple of rounds Annabelle leaned down to whisper to Spencer, "I'm going to go get us some drinks."

Spencer looked at her and nodded, knowing she was using the trip to observe the other tables.

As she returned she noticed a player with an 8 ball key chain, Spencer won another round as she handed him his drink and leaned in once more.

"Table two," she whispered, smiling so to the others it looked as though she were merely flirting, "Ball cap has an 8 ball key chain."

Spencer nodded and gathered his chips before nodding the woman worked over, "You know, would it be all right if I sat at table two instead of four? I have a pre-glaucoma condition, and the light's kind of bothering my eyes."

The girl nodded and Spencer and Annabelle headed to the other table. Spencer sat and Annabelle playing the good, arm candy sat next to him, closest to the man in the ball cap.

They began to play and a man next to ball cap spoke, "I'm calling."

"I'll raise $8,000," Ball cap said.

"$8,000- that's, uh, person in Bangladesh. Kind of makes you think, doesn't it?" Spencer noted as he played with his chips.

Annabelle smiled and put her hand on his arm, doting on him to the other men.

"Hey, it's eight-thou to you," The other player said angrily, "Are you in or are you out?"

"I am in and I raise," Spencer challenged reading the ball cap guy.

"That's too rich for my blood," the other player folded.

"I'll call," Ball cap challenged, glaring.

"Straight," reid revealed and he and Annabelle observed the man in the ball cap closely.

"A gut-shot straight draw? Are you kidding me? That is just- that is nuts. That's crazy," the other player huffed.

"Do you mind if I take a look at this?" Spencer leaned in and grabbed the eight ball and the man in the ball cap gripped his arm in an iron grasp. Annabelle straightened, ready to pull her alarm before a security guard approached.

"Hey, what's the problem, sir?"

"H-He's reaching for my chips," the man made up and the security guard took hold of Spencer.

"I was simply admiring-"

"Sir, you need to come with me."

"You don't have to manhandle. I can walk, I will- I'll cooperate. Don't manhandle me, thanks," Spencer pushed the guard off and grabbed his alarm. Annabelle slowly stood and began to follow, making the ball capped man think they were leaving him alone. As Spencer was being escorted out he flipped his alarm and the man noticed.

Annabelle turned around to see him grab his chips and dash and she quickly took after him.

She chased him through the room, seconds behind as he slammed the kitchen entrance behind him.

She barricaded through the door with enough time to see him knock a kitchen worker down and she shouted, "Stop FBI!"

The man in the cap looked back at her for a moment before turning and running and Annabelle followed quickly behind.

She chase him out of the building and began the pursuit outside, she was closing in on him as he rounded the corner.

As she followed she slowed, cautiously taking the corner in case he was waiting for her.

She walked through the parking lot slowly, checking every step for any sign of him.

As she neared the center she heard a noise behind her and turned only to be stopped him right behind her and a gun in her ribs.

"Don't move," he commanded, Annabelle groaned slightly but did as she was told. She watched as he trained his gun on her and back up toward a car. As he slid in and started the engine she knew she couldn't do anything without the risk of getting shot. He peeled out of the parking lot and she narrowly dodged out of the way jumping out of his way and landing on her stomach and hands.

She quickly pushed herself up and read the license plate before quickly dusting herself off and beginning her run back to the private casino.

As she approached she saw Hotch and Prentiss outside.

"He got into his car," she told leaving out the part of the gun and nearly hitting her, "KSD123 is the license plate."

Hotch nodded repeating the number to Garcia who was on the phone. Quickly they were provided with the name of the man, Curtis Banks.

Hotch sent Morgan and Reid to his house and he turned back to Annabelle.

"Are you alright?" he checked.

"Yeah," Annabelle answered, taking a deep breathe,

"Ok. You head back and get changed, start filling out your report of the chase," Hotch ordered and Annabelle nodded firmly heading to the cop car of the officer Hotch ordered to take her back.

* * *

The team headed back home that night. Annabelle sat across from Reid and next to JJ, Emily diagonal from her.

Annabelle pulled out a pack of cards from her bag, looking at Spencer.

"You ready to get whooped?" She asked playfully and Spencer set down his book and playfully glared.

"Ooh I want to watch this," Emily said and JJ nodded in agreement.

"What are you playing for?" JJ asked.

"Besides bragging rights, I don't know. Spencer?" Annabelle looked to him to decide as she dealt.

Spencer was quiet for a moment before he finally spoke, "If I win, I get to buy you dinner… If you win I get to buy you dinner." Spencer shyly looked up from his cards and gave a small smile.

The girls froze in shock as they looked at Spencer. Annabelle's smile looked as though it would never leave her face and Emily and JJ's eyes were the size of quarters at Spencer's brazenness.

"I think," Annabelle started, "I can agree to those terms."

Emily and JJ cheered in a cheesy manner and the other men on the plane who had tuned in when the plane got quiet before Spencer spoke cheered Reid on, causing both of the young genius's face to turn red as they began to play.


	6. Chapter 6

Three days later Annabelle flitted around her house checking on this in the kitchen, fixing that in the living room. She was only stopped when she heard her doorbell ring.

Checking her clock she frowned in thought at who would be knocking at her door, the team wasn't supposed to arrive until six and it was only four thirty.

Dusting her hands off on her apron around her waist she approached her door and smiled as she saw the person through the glass.

"Spencer!" she greeted warmly as she opened the door.

"I know I'm early but I thought maybe I could help," Spencer offered meekly, his hands stuffed in his blue blazer jacket that was worn over a white t-shirt, jeans and a pair of all-star converse

"Of course come on in," Annabelle greeted and she led him in, "Actually it's like you read my mind. I was just trying to figure out how to get ready and keep an eye on everything in the kitchen."

"Everything?" Spencer asked.

"Yeah, I'm a bit of a nervous excessive cooker, I think I have enough food to feed an entire army and still have enough for left overs. I'm so nervous about having everyone over."

Spencer laughed as she wrung her hands, without thinking he placed his over hers and stepped close to her, "Everything will be fine. The team already loves you and all were doing is just hanging out."

Annabelle sighed looking up at him under her long thick lashes, "What if no one like my cooking?" she whispered.

Spencer laughed once more, "They will love your cooking, do you not remember me saying I've gained weight because of how much I have engorged myself in your delectable cuisine."

Annabelle smiled at him and laughed and it was then the two noticed how close they were.

But neither of them moved apart, instead they both looked each other in the eye and ever so slowly Spencer's head dropped closer to hers and Annabelle rose on her tip toes to reach him.

Ding!

The two pulled apart at the sound of her oven timer going off and both wore a frown on their face.

"I better check that," Annabelle mumbled before shuffling over to her stove.

Spencer licked his lips as she walked away he sighed before following, sitting at her island, "So what did you make?"

Annabelle giggles, "More like what didn't I make," she turned back to him after closing the oven and lowering the temperature, "Let's see, for appetizers I made a brie cheese brioche, with raspberry preserves, four cheese stuffed mushrooms and then just a fresh fruit try. For entrée's I made white wine chicken, ziti, garlic bread, and a caprisi salad and for dessert I made Nutella crust cheesecake. Oh and for the little ones I made PB&J sushi for an appetizer and four cheese pizza, I also have all the stuff for sundaes if they wish."

Spencer was trying to hold back a laugh but couldn't anymore, his whole body shook with rolls of laughter after she explained everything, "Annie, you do know you're only feeding the team plus Will, Kevin and the boys right? You did not have to go to such lengths."

"Well," Annabelle huffed, "I didn't know what everyone would like so I made a bit of everything," she glared as he continued to laugh, "It's not funny Spence this is my first real impression on the team, God knows that they are all skeptical of me because of how much of my past I have black lined out."

Spencer's laughter died down as he noticed the somber look come over her, he rose from his seat and went to her. He placed his hands on her upper arms that were folded across her body in self-doubt, "Annie, no one is skeptical of you. You are part of the team and we all understand that you have a past that you can't share and we accept it," Spencer used his finger ot lift her chin to meet his eyes, "We accept you."

The two brilliant Dr.'s looked each other in the eye and Annabelle felt herself calm as his hazel gaze boor into hers, Annabelle cracked a smile, "I did make a lot of food, didn't I?"

Spencer chuckled, "Yes. But they're going to love it," without thinking Spencer tucked a stray hand behind her ear and his large hand came to cup her small face.

Annabelle sucked in a breathe of air and without letting the moment slip away from them again she quickly rose on her toes and covered his mouth with hers.

Spencer shocked at first froze but as he felt her lean into him his arm snaked around her waist holding her to him as his other hand remained gently caressing her face.

Their lips moved in harmony as the two lost themselves, neither one of them wanting to part as air became a necessity.

As the two slowly parted, Annabelle dropping to her bare feet but Spencer still holding her close they both couldn't help but blow out a slow breathe to try and calm their racing hearts.

"Wow," Spencer blew and it was Annabelle's turn to giggle. The sound of her laughter only made Spencer's heart race faster and he couldn't help but grin.

Slowly Annabelle's face contorted into one of confusion as she raised an eyebrow and tilted her head, "Annie?"

Spencer's faced mirrored hers at the name, "You called me Annie. Twice." Annabelle explained and Spencer's eyes rolled upwards as he thought over their conversation before their… kiss.

"Oh, well, it just kind of slipped. I'm sorr-" he began to apologize and Annabelle smiled and shook her head, "No don't apologize, I like it."

Spence stopped his apology and once again a smile filled his face, "Okay."

"Okay," Annabelle copied.

The two remained as they were, looking each other in the eyes, hazel meeting stormy gray, for several long moments before Anna bit her lip, "I have to get dressed… all I need you to do is watch the food in the oven and stir the sauce on the stove okay?"

Spencer nodded but neither of them moved until Annabelle caught the clock out of the corner of her eye and realized it was already five. She once more rose of her toes and pecked Spencer lightly on the lips before softly pushing away and retreating up the stairs. Spencer's eyes following her every step away.

As she disappeared onto the second story all reasonableness and adulthood left Spencer Reid and his arms shot up in victory as he had just made out with the girl of his dreams.

It was five fifty one when Annabelle came downstairs once more and the sound of her Beatles record softly filled the air.

Spencer, hearing her come down, called to her over his shoulder as he stirred the sauce.

"I hope you don't mind," he addressed the music.

"No never," Annabelle responded with a wide smile. Spencer put the spoon down and turned to face her and, as had become habit whenever she was around, froze in awe.

Annabelle had replaced her jeans and t-shirt with a messy bun pulling her hair out of the way for a peach-nude dress that ended a couple inches above the knee. Her hair was tied back in a low pony tail with some strands framing her face, which held little make up, simple winged eyeliner and a little gloss on her still plump lips.

"You," Spencer started, having to clear his throat, "You look amazing."

Annabelle smiled, "Thanks. Okay, so let's set everything out."

Annabelle flitted to her island and pulled open a cabinet. She pulled out several flat warming trays and ice buckets, arranging them on the island counter top, "Will you grab the fruit tray and the wine?"

Spencer nodded and opened the fridge and pulled out the large fruit tray that was in the center, the presentation was magnificent, designed to look like a rainbow, "Well if this whole FBI thing doesn't work out you could always go into catering," Spencer joked and Annabelle giggled.

Annabelle arranged the appetizers on the island and took the wine from Spencer and placed the bottles in the ice buckets.

It was then the soft chimes of her doorbell rung and Annabelle looked wide eyed at Spencer in excitement and nervousness. He laughed at her expression and she stuck her tongue out before shaking her hands of any moisture and went to open the door.

Penelope and Kevin waited on the other side of her glass door and Annabelle smiled widely as she opened the door.

"Hi!" Annabelle greeted.

"Hi! OMG! Your house is so cute!" Penelope complimented, "I brought wine! And Kevin! Baby Belle this is Kevin."

Annabelle laughed at her excitement and the nickname, "So I see that name is going to stick," she playfully glared at Penelope and she extended her hand to Kevin, "Nice to meet you Kevin, I'm Annabelle Jameson."

"I know, plum sauce here hasn't stopped talking about you since you showed her your computer skills. It's nice to meet you," Kevin shook her hand and Annabelle stepped aside, motioning them in, "Please come on in! You can put your shoes over here and the wine on the island in the kitchen."

Annabelle let them take off their shoes and closed the door behind them, following them down the hall into her living/kitchen area, mouthing the name "Plum sauce?" in wonder.

"How did I know that boy genius would already be here," Garcia teased as Spencer waved a hello from his seat at her island.

"Spencer came over early to help," Annabelle explained and she met Spencer's eyes and a blush softly filled both their cheeks. Before anyone could say anything else the doorbell rang again and Annabelle excused herself.

Penelope who didn't miss the blush on either of the two's cheeks glared at Spencer in suspicion and pointed an accusatory finger at happen, "Something happened between you two. Didn't it?" she poked Spencer hard in the arm.

"Ow!" Spencer yelped rubbing his now sore arm, "No nothing happened."

Spencer didn't look her in the eye and Garcia's mouth dropped in shock, "You're lying! It doesn't take a profiler to figure that out. What," she poked him again, emitting another yelp from Spencer, "Happened," she poked once more.

"Nothing!" Spencer tried again and Garcia went to poke him again but he held up his hands in defense, "Okay! Okay! No more poking!" Garcia backed off and Spencer lowered his head mumbling something under his breathe.

"What?" Garcia asked leaning in closer.

Once more Spencer mumbled and Garcia repeated her question.

"I said we kissed alright!" Spencer shouted accidently, finally looking up just in time to see Annabelle lead Emily, Derek, Rossi, JJ, Will and Henry around the corner into the living room.

Everyone froze for a moment as both of the kissers faces flooded with a harsh blush causing the others in the room to laugh uncontrollably.

Annabelle hid her face in her hands before thanking God that doorbell rang again giving her an excuse to leave the room.

She answered the door her face still aflame to a smiling Aaron and who she assumed was Jack.

Seeing the two there she froze mid greeting and Aaron gave a chuckle, "Are you okay?"

The question shook her from her stupor and she smiled, "Yeah, you'll find out what's going on when you come in," she confessed and she looked back at Jack she knelt down to his height and extended her hand, "Hi Jack. I'm Annabelle, it's nice to meet you."

Jack lightly shook her hand and muttered a shy "Hi," and Annabelle smiled at him, "Jack I have a very important question for you," she prompted, "Do you think you can answer it?"

Jack nodded shyly and Annabelle took a dramatic big breathe, "Jack… Do you like pizza?"

The little boy's eyes lit up and Aaron laughed as he shook his head vigorously. Annabelle sighed in fake relief, and wiped fake sweat off her forehead, "Good, because I have a super cheesy pizza made just for you and Henry. You wanna come on in and get some?" Once more the boy shook his head and Annabelle stood up and out of the way as he ran right in.

"Jack," Aaron called making the boy stop, "Shoes," he noted and pointed to the line beside the door and Jack obeyed before running into the room and the two agents could hear everyone greet the young boy.

"You're great with him," Aaron noted and Annabelle smiled. Aaron froze for a second as her wide grin vaguely reminded him of someone and Annabelle asked, "You okay?"

Aaron shook himself out of it, "Yeah," he followed her in, "Everyone's here?"

"Yep, we were just missing you and Jack," he too took off his shoes and followed her in.

"Anna, your home is beautiful," JJ complimented and Emily nodded adding, "I love your décor and the wood floors are gorgeous."

"Thank you," She then addressed the room, "Okay so on the menu or tonight for appetizers we have a nice fruit tray and for the little ones PB&J sushi, as well as warm brie in a crescent bread loaf served with raspberry preserves and crackers, as well as gorgonzola, blue cheese stuffed mushrooms. For our entrée selection, I didn't know if anyone didn't like red or white or if anyone was a vegetarian so I made a Chicken in a creamy white wine sauce and a vegetarian ziti as well as a caprisi salad and garlic bread and for Jack and Henry a five cheese pizza. And, finally for dessert I have a Nutella crust cheesecake and sundae bar."

She finished and the room was silent everyone looking at her in surprise, before Spencer spoke up, "I told you, she made enough to feed an army."

The others laughed and Annabelle smiled saying, "Please dig in," she motioned to the food on the counter and everyone grabbed a plate and piled up.

Aaron placed a hand on her upper arm, "You really didn't have to go through all the trouble."

Annabelle smiled, "I wanted to, cooking really helps me calm my nerves. You should have seen me the first week of college, my dorm room was drowning in sweets."

Aaron laughed and they joined the others near the couch and chairs, everyone finding a seat around the metal coffee table at which Jack and Henry were sitting on the floor at eating some fruit and PB&J rolls.

"So Baby Belle," Derek started and earning a playful eye roll from her, "You and the kid?"

Derek wiggled his eyebrows and the others laughed, Annabelle and Spencer once again blushing before Annabelle bit her lip and narrowed her eyes at the older man, "Why, jealous pretty boy?"

The room erupted in laughter at her quip and Derek tried to argue, "Girl I told you _he_ is pretty boy."

"And _I_ told _you_ that you spend far more time making the little hair that you have on your head prime and perfect than Spencer takes to recite the statistical facts on the chance of a coincident actually occurring."

Emily, JJ and Garcia "oohed" as though they were watching a boxing match and Spencer had a small smile on his face that grew as Morgan threw up his hands in surrender.

"Let's just not forget that you and Mr. Smooth over there happened to be k-i-s-s-i-n-g before we all got here," Morgan attempted one last blow and this time Spencer spoke up.

"Let's just not forget that the only reason you're fixated on that is because you haven't gotten any k-i-s-s-e-s yourself in a long time," Spencer shot back and this time even the men in the room "oohed" and Mogan just shook his head with a smile and raised his napkin in surrender.

"Let's just actually talk about why we really came over," JJ spoke up, "Annabelle you're now part of our family and we want to get to know you better, so what can you tell us about your life before us?"

The room went silent as Annabelle chewed her food and set down her plate on the coffee table, she wiped her face with her napkin and looked at them all, her new family.

"Okay," she started, "I was born somewhere in Virginia and before I was one I was adopted by Joan and Allen Jameson. Allen was in the military and Joan was a principal at a middle school. By the age of eight I had completed middle school work and so they put me in high school, I graduated two years later and was accepted into Harvard. I earned my Ph.D. in mathematics by the time I was thirteen as well as my master in psychology and my two bachelors in child development and forensic science. I then went onto Harvard medical school and graduated in 2008 with a doctorate in medicine. After graduation I was approached by the U.S. government, you see when you're good at math, good enough to get into Harvard, you take a math class called Math 15. When you're better than that, you take Math 25. But when you're the best, you take Math 55. Honors Advanced Calculus and Linear Algebra. Graduates are immediately employed by the U.S. Government, because they're too dangerous to work anywhere else. More specifically, they're employed at the NSA. I on the other hand was given a choice, with the combination of my other degrees and the fact that at that time I spoke six languages and that I was combat trained because of my father," no one missed the tension in her voice at the word, "I had the option to join a task force in the U.S. military to hunt down a certain person," she gave them all a pointed look and they sat back in surprise. Annabelle made direct eye contact with JJ and gave a subtle nod to which JJ gave a soft smile, "Once that was done I had earned the right to do what I wanted but of course they had the restriction I stayed within the U.S. government so they could keep an eye on me. And that worked out because I had been following you guys since 2008 through the news. As I told Hotch when he hired me not only did I find the fast paced, puzzle solving- if you will- of your team riveting I also was enthralled by the notion of how much crime and death you were able to stop before it happened. I knew that that was what I wanted to be a part of it."

The team smiled at her and she smiled back, and Annabelle noticed that their plates were empty.

"Who's ready for some more food?" Annabelle smiled before getting up and taking out the other dishes.

The team smiled after the new member, grateful that she had joined their new family.

* * *

It was late, those with children had already fled and Annabelle was forced out of the kitchen by Rossi, Derek and Garcia, claiming she had cooked so she had no need to clean up. Emily and Kevin sat putting away the game the adults had played once the children were taken home.

Annabelle sat on her couch, feet tucked under her nursing a glass of wine between her palms as she faced Spencer who sat next to her, holding his own glass.

"So," she prompted, "How did I do?"

Spencer snorted, "Just as I told you, you had nothing to worry about."

"Well I guess I had to see it for myself, I'm stubborn like that," she joked, wrinkling her nose at him.

"You stubborn? Never would have guessed," Spencer said dryly which earned him a light shove.

The two sat in a comfortable silence looking at each other, unaware of the prying eyes watching their every move feet away.

"You know Spencer Reid," Annabelle moved in closer, her voice lowering to a whisper, "I really like you a lot."

Spencer gave her a boyish smile as a blush creeped across his cheeks, "Well I suppose that's a good thing because I really like you as well Annabelle Jameson."

The others watching gave each other a sly look and finished tidying up before all of them walked over to the two and announced their fare wells, insisting that neither one of them get up and they would show themselves out.

Annabelle rolled her eyes at their odd and obvious behavior.

"Subtle," she remarked and Spencer sighed in agreement his eyebrows bouncing once.

"You know, I do still believe you owe me dinner," Annabelle recalled, thinking of their poker game on their plane ride home.

Spencer looked to the ceiling as he recalled the events, "As I recall we only agreed shall I win or lose I would buy you dinner, we never discussed the terms of a draw."

Annabelle bit her lip and shifted onto her knees, slightly towering over him, "Well I can think of some terms that I think you would agree with," slowly she took the glass from his hands as he looked at her and placed it with hers on her coffee table.

Turning back to him she gently cupped his face in her hands and his eyes flitted between hers and her lips, the lips that she chewed on in slight hesitation that put a feeling in Spencer that he could only describe as animalistic.

Taking the hint and not wasting anymore time Spencer was the first to make the move this time. He tilted his head towards hers and wrapped his hands around her soft hips and kissed her with all the passion the young man could muster.

Annabelle eagerly returned the kiss and the two moved in unison, pulling each other closer like the moon to the tide and eventually Spencer fell backward onto her couch bringing the young woman with him.

She lay on his chest as neither of them broke, instead melding further together, her lips parted granting him access to explore her mouth as his hands roamed up and down her bare back as one of hers entangled itself into his locks.

Eventually the two pulled apart, only by centimeters as they rapidly replenished their lack of oxygen.

"Annie…" Spencer began, his eyes never leaving hers, "will you go on a date with me?"

Annabelle raised an eyebrow at him, "I thought we already made plans to do that?"

Spencer waved his head side to side, "I wanted to make it officially a date."

Annabelle smiled and pecked his lips, "Of. Course. Old. Man." She accentuated each word with a kiss and Spencer's smile got a little wider with each one.

* * *

Annabelle looked at herself in the mirror once more. Her face was painted with some light blush and gloss, with a little mascara and eyeliner gracing her eyes. She ran her hands down the front of her deep pink maxi skirt and pulled down her white V-neck crop top one last time. Checking her hair for any strays she, softly patted the long curls. Gold hoops adorned her ears that matched the gold heeled sandals she wore. It was finally warming up in D.C. and she and Spencer were finally going on their long overdue date.

It had been five weeks since their "make-out" on the couch- which lead to Annabelle falling asleep on top of Spencer on her couch- and every time they had attempted to go on their date so far they had been pulled away on a case. Though the two did decide that their morning and evening routines counted as "mini-dates", but both were anxious to go on a full, actual date.

Annabelle scattered to the door as when she heard it ring and she smiled at Spencer standing there in a violet button down shirt and a purple tie peeking out from a dark blue sweater vest. He wore a dark pair of trousers and his mismatched socks made a slight appearance from his black dress shoes. Annabelle couldn't help but clasp her heart as she opened the door and Spencer pulled a single rose from behind his back, it was a beautiful golden color with red lacing the tips of the petals.

"It's gorgeous," Annabelle said as she took the rose and rose on her tippy toes to place a kiss to the corner of his mouth.

Spencer blushed, "So are you."

Annabelle smiled at him, and he asked if she was ready to go.

Annabelle nodded and turned around to get her clutch that was on the buffet table near her door and she plopped the rose into that vase sitting atop it.

Spencer took her hand in his after she closed and locked the door behind her and led out of her gate and they began to walk down her street.

"So, Old Man, where are we off to?" Annabelle asked jokingly and Spencer chuckled, "that is for me to know and for you to find out."

Annabelle quirked an eyebrow at him, "Oh really?" to which Spencer just nodded.

"Okay then… so what did you think of the link I sent you?"

"Which one?" Spencer laughed as he gave her a silly face.

"Hey! It's not my fault! Your new phone needs to have some stuff on it!" Annabelle argued and Spencer laughed.

"I still can't believe I let you talk me into getting a smart phone, I was perfectly okay with my old phone!" Spencer said in disbelief.

"Well, your old phone didn't get pictures or email, or internet and trust me you may want that picture capability," Annabelle teased and giggled as she watched Spencer take a dry gulp.

"W-well okay," Spencer stuttered, suddenly not adverse to the idea of his smart phone.

Annabelle giggled, "Anyway the link I was talking about was the TED Talk about Revaz Adamia describing the use of Bacteriophages in medicine and his institute's journey through the Soviet collapse to the present."

Spencer nodded, "It was interesting the concept is starting to gain ground in the medical field it will be interesting to see where he takes it."

Annabelle nodded in agreement and she smiled as they neared the doors of the restaurant AMORE, a place she had mentioned to Spencer once about wanting to try but it always being booked.

"No way," Annabelle muttered and Spencer squeezed her hand gently, "I may or may not have had a good friend of ours put our names on their reservation list," Spencer slightly confessed and Annabelle tossed her head back in laughter.

"Thank you, Penelope," she said out to the universe as if Penelope could hear them.

"And thank you, this is very sweet," Annabelle rested her head on his arm that was holding her hand.

The two entered the restaurant and Spencer gave the hostess his name and the two were to no surprise immediately seated.

Spencer loved the way her face lit with excitement and he felt a swell of pride in his chest that he was the one to put that smile there.

Their waiter came and Spencer ordered a bottle of wine for the two of them as Annabelle's eyes danced over the menu.

"What to choose, what to choose," Annabelle muttered to herself.

"The menu is quite vast," Spencer agreed.

Annabelle looked up at him, "What is your favorite thing to eat anyway?"

"Well, back in Vegas my mom and I always used to go to Binions and get chicken fried lobster almost twice a month. Not to mention the times we went to celebrate anything I accomplished as a kid," Spencer smiled sweetly as he thought of his mother and Annabelle swooned.

"Your mom sounds wonderful," Annabelle told him and Spencer nodded.

"She is," he agreed.

The waiter came once again and served their wine and took their order, Spencer willing to eat almost anything told Annabelle to choose two of the dishes she wanted to try and she could have as much as she wanted of his.

Once the waiter left again with their order Annabelle placed her hands on the table and Spencer couldn't help but bring his to intertwine.

"Tell me something I don't know," Annabelle suggested.

"Considering your IQ and how fast you read plus all your degrees, I doubt there is much I could tell you, that you don't already know," Spencer responded.

"I meant about you, silly."

"Well, back in my day," Spencer started and Annabelle giggled at the joke, "Uh… well I guess I could tell you that when I was little my mom used to read me valentines poems."

Annabelle bit her lip from letting out a giggle and Spencer rolled his eyes, "She was a 15th Century literature professor."

Annabelle nodded, "It's sweet."

"Your turn."

"Uhhh well, I've almost been arrested five times."

Spencer's eyes widened and Annabelle nodded in shame, "Most of it for hacking into places I should not be."

"The other times?"

"Uh," Annabelle's smile dropped a little, "Self-defense."

Understanding that that was all the information she wanted to give Spencer nodded, "Were you ever actually arrested?"

"Yes, but not charged and it was for how I was dressed when I was stationed overseas. Luckily a I got them to knock it off, claiming act of war or something along those lines," Annabelle wiggled her eyebrows and Spencer laughed.

"My girlfriend the badass," he laughed and Annabelle's smile nearly split her face in two at the use of the word.

"Girlfriend huh?"

Spencer's face froze and he stuttered for an excuse.

Annabelle squeezed his hand, "Spencer, I like being your girlfriend."

Spencer once more froze but slowly his face warmed into a wide grin and he squeezed her hand in return.

"So, have you ever thought of getting a tattoo?" Annabelle continued their game, to which Spencer shook his head, "I mean, I'm not opposed to it. I just have never had a good enough reason to get one."

"How many do you have?"

Annabelle sat back in her seat, "Well I have the one you saw on my hip," she placed her hand over it, "I have a pulse line with a heart at the end here," she moved her hand to just below her left breast, "And I have on the inside of my left ankle I have a semicolon."

"Can I ask what they mean?"

"Yeah," she cleared her throat, "I got this one," she said placing her hand over the one near her heart, "When I was in college, at sixteen. It means to me I'm a survivor… that I'm still going. I got the four leaf clover after my employment with the military because there were things over there that definitely should have killed me," Spencer's hand instinctually gripped hers harder at her words and she gave him a smile as she continued, "And I got the semicolon before I went for this job. It means that my story wasn't over and that I have more to give to this world."

Spencer smiled at her and drew her hand to his lips, kissing the back of it and silently telling her "thank you for trusting me enough to tell me that".

The two were walking back to Annabelle's place hand in hand, delightfully full and laughing as Spencer told the story of his and Morgan's prank war.

As their laughter died down Annabelle placed her head on his arm and told him, "Remind me to never get on your bad side."

Spencer kissed the top of her head, "I don't think you could ever be on my bad side," he responded sweetly.

They walked in silence for a few moment more before one after another their phones chirped with alerts and they both pulled them out to see they needed to be on the tarmac A.S.A.P.

Annabelle sighed, before Spencer said, "My place is closer, do you want to swing by your place, change, grab your stuff and then we can take the metro to mine and take my car from there?"

Annabelle nodded and the two quickened their pace, neither of their hands leaving the others embrace.

* * *

As they walked onto the plane with the others, Annabelle now dressed in a high waist black skinny dress pants, the same crop top and a deep red blazer and matching pumps, they heard Garcia's voice talking over the monitor, "Hi, hi, hi, sorry for the cryptic late-night texts, but I promised I would fill you in on the way here, and I am a girl who keeps her promises."

All but Hotch took their seats and opened their tablets as Garcia continued, "So, this boy was found two hours ago in the middle of nowhere- technically he was found outside of Crawford, Arizona. My point is, he has clearly been to super hell and escaped some sort of captivity."

"Well, how do we know he wasn't just dropped off there?" Derek asked.

"Well, he has fresh cuts on the bottom of his feet from the local cactus fields, and that's away from any through roads, and his skin is rubbed raw around his ankles from chains," Garcia explained sadly.

"He must have had a chance to escape and he took it," Derek noted.

"Or the UnSub could have had him in transit," Emily offered.

"My God, you guys, look at his eyes," Garcia exclaimed sadly.

"Yeah, he's jaundiced. Probably hasn't seen daylight in a while. He's also malnourished, dehydrated, and from what look like it is developing a severe rash, most likely caused by the irritation of dirt or some other grainy substance" Annabelle noted, looking over the picture.

"Yeah, and there's a lot of scars here," Derek told.

"Those are the ones we can see," said Rossi.

"Well, it's hard to tell for certain, but he's maybe 13," Emily suggested.

"Are there any missing children in the area, Garcia?" Reid asked.

"No, none until now, but, sir, you may have more information than I do."

Hotch nodded, displaying a new file, "I do. Earlier tonight another boy was reported missing in Flagstaff."

"That's not that far; can't be a coincidence."

"Technically it could, but Arizona has the lowest abduction rate in the country, so the chances of these cases not being related are ridiculously slim," Reid informed Rossi,

Garcia nodded, "Yeah, that's why Child Abduction Rapid Deployment will meet you on the ground."

"Now, the Flagstaff abduction is Billy Henderson, 13. His parents say he was coming back from a friend's house after dinner, he never made it," Hotch informed as he sat beside Annabelle. On the couch.

"That makes the likely hood of this boy being 13 all the more plausible. The unsub most likely took another child the same age to continue his fantasy. I mean look at these wounds," Annabelle showed her tablet to the others, zoomed in on the found child's scars, "These are so faded and with the evidence of jaundice, limiting sun exposure it would have taken years to get to this stage. This kid has been with the unsub for at least half a decade."

The others nodded in understanding and Garcia spoke up, "Okay, they set up roadblocks, but the unsub has a head start."

"Right now our best chance of finding Billy Henderson is to figure out what the first victim knows," said Derek.

"Exactly," Hotch agreed, "So, Morgan, you and JJ go to the hospital, see if you can get through to him. The rest of us will set up at the police station. Losing this victim has likely enraged the unsub. No telling what he'll do to Billy."

They took off and Annabelle leaned forward in her seat, closer to Hotch, "Sir?"

Hotch looked to her in response, "I was wondering if I could go with Morgan and JJ to the hospital," Annabelle's voice dropped so low it was hard for Hotch to hear what she said next, "I have… personal experience with what this child has gone through and I think I could help."

Hotch's eyes lightly widened in surprise at her confession and he quickly nodded and Annabelle thanked him and sat back in her seat, her eyes dropping to her hands folded in her lap, "Annabelle?" Hocth called and Annabelle's attention once more returned to him, "If you ever need to talk…"

Annabelle gave him a small smile and nodded and Hotch gave her a firm nod as well.

They soared through the sky in comfortable silence, all preparing themselves mentally for this case.

Reid sat back, his eyes closed and a small smile on his face as he thought about his evening, "So are we just supposed to pretend we didn't see you and Annabelle arrive together, Mr. Slick?" Rossi's voice asked, a grin evident in his tone.

Reid's eyes opened and he glared at the older man as the rest of the plane snickered, "You could pretend that you had your own lives to snigger about," shot Reid.

"Why would we do that when it's so much more fun to pry on yours?" Emily asked tauntingly and even Reid smiled.

"So… spill, what was going on tonight before we got called in?" JJ demanded and Spencer groaned.


	7. Chapter 7

"You can't examine his scars?" Derek asked the doctor as he JJ and Annabelle arrived at the hospital.

"I can't get close enough," the doctor explained, "He has the most severe case of CER I've ever seen- "Conditioned Emotional Response. I've only seen it in vets."

"More specifically P.O.W vets. This confirms my theory of him being held for years," Annabelle told and her colleagues nodded.

"That's worse than PTSD," said JJ.

"He had an adrenaline rush when he escaped, but coming down from that will be just as extreme," The doctor explained as they neared his room.

"Then, I'm sure he's sensitive to light and sound?" Annabelle asked.

"Incredibly. We're keeping it as quiet and dark as possible."

"That's probably what he's used to," JJ said.

"He's also been somewhere cramped. His legs show signs of advanced arthritis," informed the doctor and Annabelle shook her head in sympathy.

"I thought I saw signs of that. Any chance it could just be just fluid buildup due to trauma inflicted on the joints?"

Derek and JJ looked at her in question, wondering how that would be any better, "Arthritis is a lifelong condition, fluid buildup is painful but treatable and remedied within a year in his condition," Annabelle explained.

"I hope, but once again there's no way for us to tell due to the fact he won't let us examine him," the doctor said and he looked at Annabelle, "Do you have a medical background?"

Annabelle nodded, "I have my degree I just don't practice. Any idea how old he is?"

"It's hard to tell," the doctor began, "His growth has been stunted, he's got major tooth and skin decay, clearly from a massive vitamin D deficiency."

"Best guess?"

"Maybe 16?" Annabelle looked at the others before the three of them stepped into the room. Derek first leading the other two inside, Annabelle tucked her lips in in sadness as he was huddled under the table. The three of them tucked their guns from sight and approached the table.

Derek spoke first, "Hi. My name's Derek. I'm one of the good guys. And these are my friends."

JJ stepped closer and introduced herself, "I'm Jennifer."

Annabelle did the same, "I'm Annabelle."

Derek spoke again his voice soft and gentle, "You're safe now. The doctor says you haven't been eating much. Food looks pretty good."

"You must be thirsty," JJ tried and Annabelle went to speak but JJ moved first "Here you go," she offered him a water bottle and Annabelle whispered "don't" but it was too late and the boy slapped the water away retreating further into himself.

"Okay, it's okay," JJ tried to soothe, she looked at Derek and she and he stood, Annabelle still on the ground, inching closer to him.

"JJ, this is years of conditioning," Derek started but stopped when he heard Annabelle speak to the small boy.

"Hi," Annabelle started, still the boy didn't look at her, "Everyone keeps telling you its okay, don't they?" The boy's eyes flickered to her for a moment and Annabelle knew he was paying attention, "But it's not. This whole thing is not okay, _you're_ not okay. You're hurt and you're scared and you have no clue what to do now… you didn't plan this far ahead right?" once more the boy's eyes flickered to her and she gave him a sad smile, "But you _did_ get this far, _you_ did, _you_ got _away_ and he's not coming here. Because you left him behind. Do you understand honey? _You_ left _him_ behind."

JJ and Derek looked at the younger girl in surprise, they knew that this wasn't a speech Annabelle had made up for the boy, this was a speech she had practiced before and the two could tell she hadn't said it to anyone but herself in the past.

They watched as they boys eye flickered to Annabelle and lingered there and ever so slightly he turned toward her.

Annabelle shifted so she sat parallel to him, her back to the wall, her heels discarded by the foot of the bed and her hand on the floor resting maybe a foot from his.

Annabelle watched him out of the corner of her eye, noticing him staring at Morgan who was flipping a coin through his fingers.

She made a slight whistle at Morgan and got his attention, before nodding to the boy and Morgan took the hint, rolling his coin to the boy, Annabelle lifting her foot for it to pass.

"You see how that coin had to go through me to get to you, honey?" Annabelle asked, lifting her foot again, the boys eye trained on her, "That goes for anything. I know you think he's outside that door right now, I know you think that if you break his rules he's going to know and he will come here and get you but I swear to you, that won't happen. I swear that he will _never_ lay another hand on you _ever_ again."

Annabelle shifted, so her head rested on her knees and she looked at him in the eye, "Besides you see how big Derek is over there, nothing is coming in that door that you don't want to be here," she wrinkled her nose at him making a silly face, "He'd squish it like a bug."

Annabelle nearly cheered externally as she saw the faintest of a smile grace his battered face and she turned to Morgan with hope in her eyes.

She turned back to the boy as she heard him pick up the coin and she lifted her foot again as he rolled it under her and back to Morgan.

* * *

It took most of the night but eventually Annabelle was able to coax him out from under the table. In the morning when JJ walked in she found the boy sitting beside Annabelle, both propped against the wall and Morgan sitting on the floor at the foot of the bed rolling the coin back and forth.

The boy froze for a moment at JJ's entrance and Annabelle held her hand up for JJ to freeze, looking at the boy.

"Honey, that's Jennifer, our friend," she motioned between her and Morgan, "She's here to help but only if you want her in here. Do you want her to stay?"

The boy looked between her and JJ and finally his eyes locked with Anabelle's and he gave a slight nod and Annabelle rested her hand extended toward JJ granting her permission.

JJ sat in the chair and she and Derek talked about Garcia.

They were interrupted by the alarm outside which sent the boy sprawling back under the table only this time he grasped Annabelle's wrist and started to drag her with him.

"No sweetie," she tried to soothe as she followed as well as she could, "That isn't for us, it's for the doctors outside," she explained as she too was under the table, gingerly she rubbed soothing circles on the hand clasped around her wrist, "It's not for us… It's for the doctor's outside… it's not for us…" she continued to rub small circles on the back of his hand, calming him down quickly, when the hair on his arm flattened she spoke again, "It's alright, it's okay…. Come on back out… let's join our friends again," she slowly led him back out, his hand still iron locked around her wrists.

As they returned to their positions before Annabelle slowly lifted her arm and lightly pulled her arm out of his grasp until their hands met and she held his with a firm and comforting grip.

Morgan handed him the chip once more and the boy accepted it in his open hand. He held it tight and examined it close staring at the picture on the coin.

He held it to Annabelle and she nodded with a smile at the chip and he let go of her hand and pointed at the coin.

"The eagle," Annabelle muttered trying to understand why he was pointing.

The boy pointed faster and moved the chip closer to her face, "The wing," Annabelle guessed and once more she received a nod and then he pointed at his back. Then he repeated the motion, wing to back, wing to back.

"Wing on back," Annabelle's brow furrowed, "Angel… is your name angel, sweetie?"

With a small smile Annabelle received a nod and a smile split her face and she offered her hand to the boy, "Well, it's nice to meet you Angel. My name is Annabelle," timidly the boy looked at her hand before grasping it in his own and Annabelle gave is a gentle shake.

"Angel," Annabelle started, "do you think we could move to sit on the bed?"

Angel's hand once again gripped hers and Annabelle shook her head, "I'll be right beside you okay?" slowly she received a nod and the two slowly got off the floor, once Annabelle was standing she helped him up and they hobbled together to the bed, Annabelle sitting first and angel right beside her.

JJ took a phone call and Morgan moved to sit in front of them on the chair. He noticed Angel studying the coin between his fingers and encouraged him to keep going as Angel began to flip the coin through his fingers.

A few moments later the doctor walked in and once more Annabelle raised her hand for him to freeze at the door, "Angel do you want him in here?" Annabelle asked and Angel looked at her, a smile on his face and he nodded.

Annabelle waved the doctor closer and Annabelle looked to Angel, "The doctor needs to do an exam on you, Angel. Do you want Morgan and me to stay?"

Angel gripped her hand with an iron clasp and Annabelle nodded in understanding, "Doc," she called, "Would it be possible since I am a doctor as well, for me to do the exam, and you observe? I don't think Angel here is quite ready for anyone else to be too close."

Angel nodded vigorously at her words and the doctor consented. Morgan went outside to talk to JJ and Annabelle slid off the bed, her hand still in Angel's.

The nurse set up the equipment and Annabelle set to work, soon enough they got all information they needed to update his file and the doctor smiled, "Angel, you're doing great, your mom will be so happy to see you," he said as they cleaned up.

"Mom?" Annabelle asked her hand stroking Angel's hair away from his face as he laid down, "Did we identify him?"

The doc nodded and Annabelle looked at Angel, "Angel, would it be alright if I stepped outside to get updated by our friends?"

There was a hesitation but Angel nodded and Annabelle gave one last stroke, smiling down at him, "I'll be right back," before she went to the others outside.

"She's gonna have to realize that he may not want to see her for a while," Annabelle heard Morgan say as she approached him. He had two cups of coffee in his hand and Annabelle smiled as she approached.

"Is one of those for me?" she asked hopefully and Morgan smiled at her and nodded handing the cup over.

"How did the exam go?" JJ asked.

"Great, well, as good as can be expected. I think I'm right about the trauma to the joints rather than arthritis, the main points of swelling are in his knees, hips and fingers which are mostly cause by the years of abuse," her voice was quiet and melancholy as she walked back into his room only to find Angel sitting at the edge of the bed.

"Angel?" Annabelle asked in confusion before she saw the drops of red fall to the floor and heard his grunts of pain. Annabelle ran to him dropping her coffee to the floor, wrapping her arms around him from behind.

'Angel! Angel, no! No! No! No, Angel, stop! Stop! Stop," Annabelle wrestled the blade from his grasp as the others sound the alarm.

"Stop," she whispered in his ear, her voice thick with unshed tears, "It's okay," she held him close, her hands gripping his wrist closed and holding it above them to slow the bleeding, "Get a towel," she ordered and soon one was handed to her. She wrapped it tightly around his wrist and held it high, shushing him as he cried, "It's okay, it's okay," Angel continued to sob and Annabelle thought of what caused the attempt. She retraced their last conversations and she closed her eyes in realization as a tear slipped down her cheek, "She will still love you Angel. It's not your fault, do you hear me? It's not your fault. Your mom is not mad at you, she is not ashamed, she loves you okay? She loves you Angel." They rocked back and forth before the doctors and nurse came rushing in.

Annabelle slowly let go and let them do their job, she moved away from the bed and watched as they tried to fix the broken boy.

Annabelle feeling the tears starting to come turned and fled, her head ducked as she cried. She quickly dove into the closest empty room as a sob tore through her throat. She picked up the closest thing, an empty cup, and hurled it at the wall just in time for Morgan to come walking in.

"Baby Belle…"

"How could I not see that coming?" she asked him her voice hoarse with emotion, "It's my damn job to read people and I didn't see him fearing his mother's rejection! How did I not stop that from happening?!"

"Baby, we all make mistakes," Morgan tried to tell her.

"Yeah well mine nearly cost that little boy his life," she seethed and her hand balled itself into a fist at her forehead, "I don't deserve to be here."

"Hey," Morgan shouted making her look at him, "I don't ever want to hear you talk like that. Do you understand me? Annabelle you developed a relationship with that boy so quickly and so deeply that when he thought he was in danger he wanted to protect you too. You were able to do that because you're damn good at your job. None of us saw this comin' and you cannot blame yourself, do you understand? Because otherwise we get nowhere and this bastard walks. Now you get yourself together and you get back in there, you're the only we hope we have to get this boy to talk. Okay?"

Annabelle stared at him before she slowly nodded, she dried her tears and blew a deep breathe, "Thank you Derek"

Derek drew her in for a hug, her small frame encased in his, "Anytime Baby Belle," he pulled away though his hands remained in her shoulders as he looked her in the eye, "Though next time I hear you say you're not amazing at your job, I'll kick your butt."

Annabelle glared at him and rolled her eyes, knocking his hands off her shoulders she walked out, "I'd like to see you try," she called over her shoulder to which Derek chuckled.

Annabelle returned to Angel's room to see him sedated and laying on the bed, she sat beside him in the chair, her hand coming to rub small circles on the back of his.

She heard the pleas of his mother outside and closed her eyes in sympathy for the woman, she moved to help go calm her but was stopped when Angel's hand grasped hers.

She looked back at him and she gave a soft smile, sitting back beside him and continuing to rub his hand.

Morgan watched the two and gave a small smile he walked to the bed placing his coin on the table for Angel.

"For Angel, when he wakes up," Morgan said before joining JJ outside.

Annabelle smiled softly and watched the boy, it was almost an hour before Angel woke and Annabelle helped him sit up, moving the bed for him.

Angel spotted the coin and grasped it between his fingers, Annabelle pursed her lips and began to speak, "It's called a challenge coin, Angel. Legend says an American pilot in World War I was gunned down over Germany, and he crawled across no-man's-land into French territory. He was desperate to survive. And he should have been safe, except for the French thought he was a German. And he was almost executed. But he showed them a coin. It had his squadron's insignia on it. It was given to him by a fellow pilot, so that they would never forget what they shared." Annabelle didn't turn to face JJ and Morgan as she heard them come in.

"What happened to him?"

Annabelle was pleasantly surprised as Angel spoke a wide smile on her face as she continued, "A French soldier recognized the insignia, and they set him free."

Annabelle leaned closer to the young boy and took his hand in hers again, "Angel, the man who took you took another boy, and we have to find him. Can you help us do that?"

Angel didn't respond and Annabelle sighed, "I know it's scary, and I know it's hard. Believe me… Allen Jameson, that's the man that hurt me. I was young like you when I finally got away and I thought about doing the same thing that you did because I lived in fear that no one would ever love me. _I_ was ashamed of _myself_ because of what _he_ had done to _me_. And I kept the pain buried inside of me, and it tore me apart. But, Angel, I never let that son of a bitch beat me. I never gave him that."

Annabelle squeezed his hand between hers, "I want to make this man pay for what he's done to you, but I need your help. I promise you that whoever hurt you will not win. You and I, together can take away what he kept from you and what he values the most, and that's freedom. Will you help me do that?"

The moment froze, Derek and JJ looked at their friend in sadness and Angel looked at her trying to be brave.

"Yes," Angel spoke and Annabelle smiled at him.

Finally she turned to face her friends and without looking them in the eye she asked for a tablet.

Derek came and held one for Angel to see and asked if he recognized any of the men on the screen.

Angel shook his head slowly, "No. It was always too dark."

Annabelle gave a small sigh, "Angel? What did he do? You can tell us."

Angel sighed before he answered, "He used to… he used to bite me," he breathed, "He hasn't for a while. But he did He did other things."

Annabelle nodded in understanding, "Will you let the doctor take a look? Maybe we can match dental records."

"Okay," Angel consented.

JJ went to call the others and Annabelle followed afterward, leaving Angel in Morgan's care.

Annabelle approached JJ as she ended the call and Annabelle asked what was going on.

With a reluctant sigh JJ answered, "They're going to find J.B. Allen."

With a nod, Annabelle started to walk toward the exit, determined on finding the man who hurt Angel.

"Annabelle," JJ called after but Annabelle ignored her and kept walking.

Annabelle got outside and called Reid.

"Hey are you okay?" Reid asked as he answered the phone.

"I will be. What's the status on the location of J.B. Allen?" she asked her voice hard.

"Annie…" Reid trailed sensing the anger in her.

"Reid," Annabelle spoke, "I _need_ to see this through. I need to keep my promise to this boy that _I_ will personally see to it that this bastard never sees the outside of a prison wall again. _Please._ "

Reid sighed and he licked his lips, "We think he's at his first construction site in Mesa."

"Send me the exact address," Annabelle ordered and Reid agreed, "Please be safe."

They hung up and Annabelle waved an officer in the parking lot over, she showed him her credentials and ordered him to take her to the place Reid had texted her.

As they rode, Annabelle checked her gun and sighed as she thought that for J.B. Allen's sake the boy he had had better be alright.

They arrived quickly to the scene and as they pulled up Annabelle spotted Allen operating the building equipment. Noticing the dirt surrounding, she quickly peeled off her heels and as the car rolled to a stop she jumped out.

She chased Allen down and as he neared an edge she tackled the older man to the ground, sitting atop him she flipped him to face her and landed three solid punched to his face, effectively breaking his nose and chipping his tooth, before Rossi pulled her off of him and uniformed officer cuffed him.

"That's enough Annabelle," Rossi told her and Annabelle took a deep breathe calming down as she let Rossi help her up.

As they watched the scumbag be carried away Annabelle looked at Rossi.

"Thank you," she told him and Rossi nodded in understanding before they both headed back to their cars.

Annabelle returned to the hospital in time to see Angel being hugged to his mother and she placed a hand over her heart at the warm moment.

Annabelle looked over the two and made eye contact with Derek and JJ and her face dropped in realization that they knew about her past and she quickly shuffled away out of the hospital.

* * *

The team returned to the burrow after their flight home to finish the paperwork on the case and Annabelle gathered her strength and sought out JJ and Morgan.

She found them both in Morgan's office and she knocked on the frame as she entered.

Both of her friends looked at her with sympathy and Annabelle sighed, "Hi."

"Hi," they responded in return.

"Uh, so what you heard at the hospital," Annabelle's focus dropped to her shoes, "I still uh, haven't come to terms with it exactly and so was uh…"

"Baby Belle," Morgan called and she looked up at him, "Anything said in that room stays in that room. But you need to know that if you need us, or ever want to talk about it, we're right here."

JJ nodded in agreement and Annabelle gave them a smile and a nod before she wished them a goodnight and retreated back to the bullpen who smiled at her and she smiled back taking his hand in hers and he rubbed small circles on the back of her hand with his thumb.


	8. Chapter 8

A few weeks later Annabelle let Spencer into her apartment smiling up at him before he wrapped his arms around her waist and brought his lips down to hers. Annabelle smiled into the kiss as she parted her lips letting him in. Their tongues clashed with passion and her legs came to wrap around his waist as she kicked the door close and jumped onto him. Spencer's hands came to hold her under her bottom and he walked into her home, slowly. Their mouths never leaving one another.

"Kitchen," Annabelle breathed into the kiss and it was then Spencer pulled away looking at her quizzically as he had other thoughts of where they should bring this.

"I know you haven't eaten today Old Man," Annabelle pecked his lips, "My bet is you haven't eaten since Garcia told me to put down my phone last night."

Spencer rolled his eyes, him walking them into her house and setting her on her kitchen island and standing between her legs. Her arms still laced around his neck, " Well kid, when you're trying to distract yourself from thinking about your last text…"

"All I said was that I was wearing one of your shirts that I stole from your place to bed!"

"Yeah," Spencer growled, kissing her hard, "You had no idea what that would do," he said sarcastically against her lips.

Annabelle giggled and pushed him away softly, "Alright maybe I did know… but that doesn't changed the fact that you haven't eaten," she moved her leg to the other side of him and hopped down, "So everything else will have to wait until I make you some food."

Spencer gave a slight groan in annoyance as he plopped himself onto her bar stool and watched her dance around her kitchen. He knew it was no use to argue and he just sat and watched as his girlfriend cooked for him a goofy smile on his face.

"So, how was your sleep over with Garcia?" Spencer asked.

"Great! The girl is a bubbly genius. We talked hacking and coding and I showed her my new system I'm working on," Annabelle said as she chopped a sweet potato into sticks, "But, I still like our sleepovers better," she winked at him.

Spencer felt himself blush lightly. In the three months they had been dating it had become a common occurrence that after they had gotten home from a case or had gone out one of them would end up sleeping over at the others.

They had yet to bring their relationship past "second base" Spencer recalled Morgan using the phrase. Instead they had either laid in bed watching a movie or reading books or more often then not making out and had fallen asleep. Spencer was perfectly content on where they were in their relationship but knew that when she was ready for more he would be as well.

Annabelle placed the sweet potato sticks on a cooking sheet and sprinkled them with oil, cinnamon, pepper and brown sugar before placing them in the preheated conventional oven. She then set to work on what Spencer observed as a sandwich.

"So what exactly did you do last night?" Annabelle asked as she made the food.

Spencer once again blushed as he thought of his last nights activities. He was true to his word when he had said he tried to keep himself distracted from her last text. The idea of her in his clothing made a primal man out of him and he couldn't help it when his blood started pumping and traveled south. Spencer had tried to get the idea out of his head _after_ he had released himself into a pair of her panties that she had left at his place.

Spencer cleared his drying throat as he thought about last night, "N-nothing much, read some books and practiced the keyboard. The usual stuff I do when you're not there with me."

"Did you watch that movie I suggested, the 2009 Startrek?"

"No, I uh, I figured we could watch it together."

Annabelle smiled at him over her shoulder as she took the sweet potato fries out of the oven and plated them with a sandwich.

She giggled as she heard his stomach growl at the sight of food as she walked the sandwich to him, "Wah-la, a cheesy BLT and fresh sweet potato fries," she announced as she sat it in front of him.

Spencer pecked her on the lips in thanks, "You are the best girlfriend anyone could ask for," he told her before digging in and Annabelle laughed.

Spencer watched as she cleaned up from the edge of his sandwich. The way she nearly danced along the tile a soft smile permanently pressed on her face.

"I love you."

At first Spencer didn't even realize he had spoke the words until he saw her freeze, her back to him.

They both waited for the other to say something neither one of them moving, Spencer's eyes burning holes into the back of her head.

"Is that the food talking?"

Her voice was soft as she tried to joke and Spencer shook his head vigorously before realizing she couldn't see him with her back turned.

"No," he told her, standing and walking over to her, approaching slowly, "No, it's me. Its all me," he told her as he took her arm in his hand and slowly turned her to face him. She looked up at him, tears in her eyes and her lips folded between her teeth, "I love you Annie. I love everything about you," he spoke low and calmly . Spencer knew from being a profiler that the idea of love was new to her and it scared her because somewhere along the line, as much as be wished it didn't, someone who was supposed to love her, hurt her. Even though his heart was racing and he felt as though he might pass out he continued, for her, "I love way you laugh, the way your nose scrunches right here," he softly poked the spot on her nose, "I love the way you care for others and are willing to do anything to help anyone in need. I love the way when you let yourself sleep in and you wake up, you open one at a time and glare at the sun as though its wronged you before you stretch. I love the way you challenge me everyday and not only with your intelligence but you challenge me to be a better man everyday, Annie. To be a man that deserves you. Five years ago I never imagined that I would be lucky enough to be waking up next to a girl like you, I thought all my happiness lied at the bottom of a small glass bottle but Annie you bring me more happiness then that bottle could ever give. I love you Annabelle Jameson, I am _in love_ with you."

By this time the tears had left Annabelle's eyes and were streaming down her face. Spencer brought his hand up to wipe her tears, his hands framing her face as his eyes never left hers.

Annabelle drew a shaky breathe in she looked at her boyfriend, "I-I," she cleared her throat and tried again, " I love you too."

Spencer, even with his brilliant mind and infallible memory, could not remember moving before his lips were on hers.

Their lips moved together as he once again picked her up and placed her on the island, her legs drawing him to her and holding him there his hands coming run the length of her sides, pushing the tank top she wore up higher each time.

Spencer's lips trailed from hers and made their way to her neck. He sucked and lapped at the point where her pulse beat through causing her to push herself against his hardening groin.

Annabelle breathing heavily as Spencer continued his wonderful assault bit her lip before pushing him back. Spencer reluctant to let go looked at her in question before his eyes widened slightly as she grasped the edges of her top and brought it over her head leaving her bare from the waist up before him.

Spencer's breathing hitched as she sat before him and he looked at her new, soft skin. He once more made looked her in the eye looking for any sign that she wasn't ready to go any further. When he found none he stepped back into her, one of his hands intertwining itself in her hair, the other holding her waist, pressing her soft torso flush against his clothed chest.

Spencer saw the faded scars that littered her chest. He saw the old burns that disgraced her perfect image. He saw the nervousness that flooded her wondering wide eyes. Spencer lightly pulled at her hair, making her look at him as he spoke. "You are _beautiful,_ " he breathed as her stormy gray eyes met his. Spencer's lips descended once more on hers and Annabelle lifted herself higher onto him, telling him wordlessly to pick her up.

Spencer complied and didn't miss it when she muttered, "bedroom," into his mouth. Spencer as quickly as he could while carrying the woman he loved, ascended the stair to her bedroom and he sat her on her bed.

Annabelle lied back her arms still around his neck as she pulled him on top of her. Annabelle smiled into their kiss as she felt Spencer kicking off his shoes and socks before climbing over her, his legs on either side of her hips, his arms bent so he rested on his elbows, keeping his weight off her smaller form.

Annabelle's arms trailed from his neck and went to the front of his shirt, grasping it in her hands she pulled it upwards and was rewarded when it slipped up to his shoulders.

Spencer caught on and when the shirt was bunched under his arms he sat back onto his knees above her and pulled the shirt the rest of the way off.

After tossing the shirt somewhere Annabelle looked up at him in a daze. He was thin but had defined hard lines of muscle adorning every inch of his body. He had a few wisps of hair on his lower torso that lead beneath his pants and his skin was soft and pale.

Spencer looked down at the woman beneath him and couldn't help but smile.

She was breath taking. Her hair was fanned around her as her chest rose and fell with each of her heavy breaths, her face was colored a soft pink, her lips full and red and smiling back at him. Her eyes though held a look Spencer could only describe as one of complete and utter love. He felt his chest swell with the same love that she showed him and he grasped her head in his large hand and pulled her upwards to meet his lips once more, his other arm coming to hold her to him around her waist.

Annabelle pulled herself flush against Spence's chest as he kissed her before she twisted and pushed him, making him fall onto the bed beside her.

She pulled away and rested her forehead against his, looking at him as they both dissolved into goofy smiles, "I love you Old Man."

Spencer laughed, "I love you Kid."

Annabelle bit her lip before she rose from the bed and stood before Spencer. Spencer lifted himself enough to rest on his elbows as he watched her undo the draw string on her short and placed her thumbs in the sides before slowly pushing them down her hips.

Spencer watched in awe as she stood before him exposed and vulnerable and he couldn't help but drink in her form. She was thin but toned, her arms had clear definition, her waist narrow before flaring to wider hips and hers stomach was lean and strong. Her skin was soft and creamy with a slight bronze glow. Her thighs touched but as she shifted they didn't wiggle and her bottom was obvious even from in front. Her neck was taught as she held her chin up and it lead to her soft round breasts that were not overly large but when he had held them in his hand before he could not cover it whole. Her nipples were hard and stood to attention as he guessed her blood was rushing just as much as his.

Spencer sat up completely and glared harder at her form in the soft moonlight he could make out faint traces of long scars along her thighs as well as the other cuts that littered her torso and burns that marred her perfect form.

He couldn't help the growl that escaped his throat at the idea of someone inflicting those wounds upon her and he grasped her hand in his and pulled her so she stood between his legs.

Spencer started at her jaw and slowly peppered kisses down the length of her neck, in the valley of her breasts before stopping at her navel.

"You are a goddess among men," he whispered to her as he turned her around and continues his ministrations down her neck, to her shoulder blades and the curve of her back.

Once more he turned her around and captured her lips with his pulling her into him and flipping them so she lay beneath him on the bed.

He stared into her eyes and brushed the hair away, "I want to worship you," he whispered to her and he trailed his open mouth down her neck and to her left breast first.

He enclosed his mouth around her hardened peak and stroked his tongue against the bud, softly sucking as he heard her moan in pleasure.

His hand went to the other and pinched and pulled at the sensitive flesh before he switched, repeating the action with his mouth to the other breast.

Spencer only felt love and pride as she nearly squealed in delight, threading her fingers in his hair and pulling him as close as she could.

Once Spencer had made her nipples as hard as they could be his hot open mouth continued its path south.

When he came to the apex of her thighs, he wrapped his hands around the black of her knees, pulling her legs apart before kissing her inner thighs gently.

He trailed his nose along her inner thigh to her center and ever so slowly his tongue came to palm against her bundle of nerves. The taste of her already wet core made Spencer join her in a hard moan and he continued to lap at her womanhood.

Spencer's fingers trailed up her thighs and found her opening, slowly he inserted a finger inside her and he smirked as her breathing hitched. In and out he started to push and with each gentle thrust her breathing pitched higher and higher and her hands wound tighter in his short locks.

When he felt her body tense and knew she was about to release he pulled away and couldn't help the smile that grew on his face as her whine in disappointment. He looked down at her as her eyes flew open to question why he stopped and he looked for any hesitation, finding none he brought his hands to her pants and started to undo the belt but was stopped with her hands on his.

He looked at her as she looked at him and her hands worked quickly, pulling the bet from his waist and pushing not only his pants but his boxer briefs down as well.

It was Spencer's turn to stand before his lover exposed and vulnerable and he didn't even try to stop the swell in his chest and the smile on his face as she looked as his extended member with wide eyes. She then brought her eyes to his and bit her lip before pulling him to her and laying down, leading him to lay atop of her.

Spencer followed without hesitation and he kissed her with all the love and passion he felt for her. His hand gripped her leg behind the knee, drawing it upwards as he aligned himself with her opening.

As their lips were melded together slowly he entered her and both of the lovers moaned in ecstasy. Spencer gave her a moment to adjust and himself a moment to relish in her warmth and tightness before he drew himself out and thrust back in Annabelle gasped with pleasure as he continued to repeat his process.

It didn't take long for the two to build to their climaxes and soon the lovers held each other tightly as they fell from their throws of passion, Spencer releasing a long groan and Annabelle gasping his name.

When he could feel his body again Spencer unsheathed himself from inside her and turned to lay next to her. He pulled her so her torso lay against his as he laid against the pillows of her bed. Annabelle brought her leg up to intertwine with his and Spencer covered them both with her duvet.

"I love you Spencer Reid," she breathed against his chest, her lips just above his heart.

Spencer kissed her head and replied, "As I love you Annie."


	9. Chapter 9

It was months after Spencer and Annabelle had been together for the first time when the team had a day off. Emily and Derek were looking at a home for Emily, JJ was at home with Henry, Hotch with Jack and Beth, Rossi was doing something with Director Straus and Penelope and Reid were at comic con.

Annabelle unfortunately rather than being with her boyfriend and best friend was called to the pentagon to consult on a confidential matter. When she was finally able to leave she was hit with more bad news.

Annabelle unlocked her phone to answer Garcia's call, "Hey I'm on my way-"

"Change of plans," Garcia cut her off, "We've been called to a hostage situation at Colonial Liberty Bank."

Annabelle groaned into the phone, "Of course. Let me grab a cab and I'll be down there in no time, catch me up?"

"I didn't call to talk about the weather."

"Hotch," Annabelle greeted as she got to the scene, of the robbery.

"Annabelle, are you caught up on the situation?"

"Garcia informed me on the way here. They're asking for a medic?" she clarified and she set her bag down and Hotch nodded as Straus approached.

"We're sending in a medic," Straus informed them and Hotch argued, "That's just going to give them another hostage."

"If they stop shooting people, it's worth it."

"We give in to one demand, we'll have to give in to them all," Rossi joined in.

"The director disagrees."

"At least make it an agent with medical training- that way, he can take advantage of an opportunity if it comes," Hotch finally relented.

"I'll do it," Annabelle offered, finally speaking up and Hotch went to argue, "I'm a doctor, I'm a profiler and I have a lot of experience in high tension situations. I'll go in and do what I can from the inside."

Before Hotch or Rossi could speak Straus did, "Okay. Go get suited up."

Annabelle looked at the two older gentlemen for confirmation she knew Straus was their boss but Annabelle would not follow through without their consent.

Reluctantly Hotch nodded and Rossi sighed and Annabelle raced away to get a medics uniform.

She quickly dressed in the back of an onsite ambulance and when she was done she went to jump out, tying her hair up in a bun she opened the door to see Morgan standing in front of it.

"You have five seconds to tell me why I should let you do this," Morgan argued and Annabelle sighed.

"Morgan-"

"No, you are willingly putting yourself into a high risk situation where you know the likeliness of being shot and killed."

"We were going to send in somebody, why not me? Out of everyone standing out here I am the most qualified to go in."

"Everyone standing out here isn't my family. Isn't the woman, the man I consider a brother, loves. Everyone out here isn't you."

"Morgan."

The angry man sighed, "Listen, I know logically you're the best choice, but it doesn't mean I have to be happy about it okay?"

Annabelle smiled at him slightly, "Never asked you to be, Pretty boy. I'm not, I'm pissed at this whole situation. I was planning on stealing my boyfriend later this afternoon and not letting him out of bed until tomorrow morning, instead I'll be up doing paper work till the morning."

She stepped close to him, putting a hand on his face, "And I will be up doing paper work after this Morgan."

Morgan sighed before crushing her to him in a protective hug, "You better be little girl or so help me God."

The two pulled apart and Annabelle put her game face on, "I need two guns."

"No you'll need to put it in your bag, the queen will want to pat you down," Morgan argued.

"I know that, and I want her to find a gun there," Annabelle told him and she smirked, "Will you just trust me?" Morgan nodded and handed her his gun as well, Annabelle quickly dumped her bag and placed her gun in there before carefully placing the equipment back in. She then tucked the other gun into the back of her pants.

Morgan sighed and gave her one last hug before walking with her to the others.

"You be smart, understand?" Rossi ordered her and Annabelle nodded, she looked at Hotch and gave a small smile.

"Read your situation and only counteract if you can subdue, understood?" Hotch ordered and Annabelle gave a firm nod.

She looked at the others, "Can you give us a second," the others nodded and backed off and Annabelle stepped closer to Hotch, "Hotch, if anything should happen, under my bed is a box containing letters for everyone… I need to know that you'll all get them."

Hotch nodded firmly and placed a hand on her shoulder, "Be safe."

Annabelle nodded and she took a dep breathe before she began her jog to the door. She took a deep breathe before opening the door and walking in.

Just as they expected the queen was waiting to pat her down and Annabelle set her bag down and raised her arms.

"You're going to find a gun in my waist band. They wouldn't let me come in here without trying," Annabelle explained and the woman yanked the gun from her.

"No!" Chris shouted as Oliver fell over, "No! No! No! Get over here!" Annabelle quickly rushed to his side, "You're going to save him, - right?"

"I'm going to try," Annabelle checked for breathing and a pulse, finding a weak pulse she nodded.

"Oliver, can you hear me?" she asked. Receiving no response she began to search in her bag.

"Come on, Olly," Chris begged.

"Stay with me, Oliver," Annabelle said as she got out the proper equipment as the brother became more frantic.

"Jameson, you got a go. Jameson, go," Annabelle froze quickly as she knew her piece had been heard, quickly she pressed her responder, "There is no go. Queen took my gun," she quickly yanked her piece away and threw it.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Chris turn his gun toward her and she threw a pointed finger in his direction.

"You can shoot me or you can use me! Your brother is dying Chris and I am the only one who can save him! If you want him to live, lower your weapon and find me a way to cut into his chest!"

"Cut into his chest?! Won't that kill him!?" Chris asked losing control and Annabelle shook her head.

"No Chris and I don't have time to explain! Now get me a knife!" the room stood still as she shouted and Annabelle breathed hard staring the man holding a gun to her face down.

Chris seemed to unfreeze and he lowered his weapon before digging in his back pack and getting out a Swiss army knife.

He handed it over to Annabelle and she took it, she got the tubing equipment and quickly cut it so it was pointed.

She then took the knife and cut open the rest of Oliver's shirt, "Chris the bullet put a hole in your brothers lung causing it to fill with blood," she explained as she felt down Oliver's rib cage, "I'm going to make a small hole in your brothers rib and drain the blood," she looked Chris in the eye, "So do not shoot me when he starts to bleed."

When Chris nodded she took the knife and wiped it with the sanitary spray as much as much as she could before digging into the man's chest.

When she was far enough she removed the knife and used her fingers to keep the hole open before stabbing the tubing into his lung.

Blood began to leak onto the floor and then it began to pour as it drained out of his lungs. Oliver's body shook as he sucked in, much needed oxygen and Chris lowered to his side.

"Olly, you okay?" Chris asked.

"He's not going to be able to answer you, Chris. He's still unconscious from lack of oxygen, his body is just breathing manually."

Chris nodded and Annabelle spoke again, "Chris, this is a temporary solution. Olly still has a whole in lung and whatever else I can't see. He needs a hospital, he needs a surgeon."

"They'll kill him," Chris shaking his head and refusing the idea.

"No, no they won't Chris, not if you send him out with the other injured man, and the kids. But you'll also need to send them out with people that can carry them okay?" Annabelle reasoned with him and Chris began to shake again.

"He'll go to prison!" Chris screamed and Annabelle shook her head in response, "No Chris, No he won't I promise you. He will not be sent to prison."

"She's lying!" The Queen spoke up, "Oh really how would you know?" Annabelle challenged glaring at her.

The queen trained her gun on Annabelle but Annabelle did not falter, instead looking back to Chris, "Chris you can make it part of your demands, you have the upper hand here and you can make them have your brother waiting first you with a helicopter after he has had surgery."

Chris once again froze, "But Chris you need to act now," Annabelle told and Chris began to nod.

"But first I want them to bring in the cop that shot my brother," Chris seethed and Annabelle's eyes closed for a moment when she opened them she looked to the cameras and bit her lip.

"Chris, they won't do that…" She tried and Chris shot up in anger.

"Oh yeah! What if I shoot more hostages, will they do it then?!" he got up and grabbed a banker by the arm, before forcing a gun to his head.

Annabelle stood and placed her palms toward him, "Chris… you don't want to do this."

Annabelle felt the cold steel of the barrel of a gun pressed to the back of her head, "Shut up bitch."

The cold voice of the queen rolled into her ears and Annabelle fought every urge she had to disarm the woman.

"Do it, show them you mean what you say. Show them you want revenge for Olly," the queen taunted Chris.

"No Chris, think of Olly. You shoot him and chances are they have had enough and they will come barging in here."

"You know a lot about how cops think, for a medic," The queen shoved the barrel into her head again and Annabelle glared, "That's what happens when you work alongside them for a while," she turned her attention back to Chris, "I'm telling you Chris, let the people go, let Olly go then fight for what you want."

Chris hesitated before he lowered his gun and shoved the banker back into place.

"Who do you send out?" Chris asked, not looking at anyone.

"A-are you asking me?" Annabelle asked for clarification and Chris turned back outraged, "Of course I'm asking you!"

"Okay, okay," Annabelle placated him, "Can I move?"

Chris nodded and Annabelle ripped her arm from the queens grasp and made her way to the little girl and the baby.

"Sweet heart, do you think you can carry him out of here?" Annabelle asked and the little girl nodded timidly and Annabelle looked at the mom who reluctantly handed her the baby and she placed it with the little girl and Annabelle looked to Chris and he nodded and she sent the kids.

She then turned to the mother, "You need to help get Olly out," she motioned for her to follow her and Annabelle grabbed another woman who was in the bank.

She showed them how to carry the body and with some difficulty they moved them out and Annabelle repeated the process with two other women and the shot dad.

Once they were out she faced Chris again and looked him dead in the eye, "Make your demands."

Chris picked up the phone and spoke, "Agent Rossi, I want to get out of here."

"I want an armored truck and a helicopter waiting for us with my brother, with a passage way to Switzerland."

It was then the queen took the phone from him, "Chad, we want to go to Chad."

"Chad," Chris agreed and he was silent before he spoke once more, "And I want the man who shot my brother in here, face to face."

"What you're asking is difficult."

"Well, I'll make it easy," Chris said before he set down the phone and grabbed a hostage, "Come on, man. Let's go. Pick up the phone."

The terrified man did froze, "Why?"

"Pick up the phone!" Annabelle went to intervene but was stopped when the queen pointed the gun at her face.

"Hello?" the man picked up.

"Tell them your name," Chris demanded.

"It's-it's Shawn Harper." And with that Chris shot him down. Annabelle went to help but was stopped when the queen pointed a gun at her face.

Chris picked up the phone, "You just killed Shawn Harper. Not me; you. And I'm going to shoot another hostage every 60 seconds till you send in the cop. Every 60 seconds."

He set down the phone and walked behind the hostages, "Who's next? Huh?"

"Who's the lucky one?" Chris taunted playing a game, "Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah."

"Yeah!" he ripped a woman from the wall of people and she screamed, "No! No! No!"

"Pick it up. Come on." The woman did as she was told crying.

"What's your name?"

"No, please," The woman begged.

"Tell him your name!" Chris screamed

"Annie. It's Annie."

"You got about 30 seconds, Annie. I hope Agent Rossi doesn't make me shoot you, too," Chris told her Annabelle moved to offer her place instead, before they all heard a man whisper to a woman, "You okay?"

"Yes," the woman answered shaking.

"Hey, you," Chris called, "Come over here."

"Just let the women and children go," The man said as he did what he was told, "They don't need to see this."

"Pretty soon, they're going to be doing a lot more than just seeing," Chris threatened and then he shouted, "Annie! You just got yourself a reprieve. Get in line over there."

Annie moved quickly and Chris stared down the man, "We got a new contender."

Chris made the man stand at the phone and say his name, just as he did the door opened and in walked Will.

Annabelle dropped her head in defeat as will begged for the people to be released.

She lifted her head as she saw from her peripheral vision the queen move, taking something out of her bag, lowering her weapon.

Chris told motioned for Annabelle to let more people go, holding a two fingers up at her.

Annabelle quickly made it so the bank manager "Lynn" her name tag read and Annie where released.

"What's your name?" Chris asked him coldly and Will answered, "William LaMontagne Jr. MPD."

And, Chris shot him.

Annabelle bit her lip as Will fell and without asking she moved to his side as the blood sept through, "What are you doing?" The queen's cold voice asked and Annabelle muttered, "He's no use to you dead."

Matthew, the man previously on the phone, grabbed her bag and went to join her and he too was stopped by the queen, "You think your helping?"

"Like she said, a dead cop isn't going to be much of a negotiation tool."

"Huh. Boss are you good with this?" the queen asked and Chris, who sat at a desk rubbing his head responded, "What? Yeah, fine."

Matthew kneeled beside Annabelle and listened to her as she told him how to help. Annabelle keeping one ear to their conversation.

"You okay?"

"I shouldn't have done that. They're never going to let us out of here now."

"Who knows? Maybe they'll save him and he'll be our ticket out of here."

"Yeah."

"You took my advice."

"How's that?"

"You didn't go for the kill shot."

"Huh."

"I need to check the back again. There's got to be an escape we haven't thought of."

"Okay."

"His blood pressure's dropping," Annabelle muttered before she ripped open a package and started to pack his wounds with gauze.

"Hold on Will," she muttered and she wrapped him tightly using the vest he wore to help seal it.

Annabelle looked at the man helping her and asked, "What are you?"

"Excuse me?"

"You have some sort of disciplined background, so what are you?"

"Former Marines," he answered, and Annabelle nodded giving Will one last glance to make sure he was as alright as he could be she looked Matthew in the eye, "Well Marine you're in charge of getting everyone out of here."

Matthew didn't have the chance to question her before Annabelle reached into her bag, pulled out her gun and turned on her feet, rising simultaneously and raising it to aim on Chris.

"Put your weapon down," she commanded and Chris looked up to see Annabelle standing in front of him with a gun and we went to move off the table and Annabelle took a short breathe before shooting him in the head.

"Go Marine," she said and she began her pursuit of the queen.

She began to go lower into the bank, scanning each room and she almost shot Will when he made his way behind her.

"I'm not leaving you without back up," Will told her and Annabelle gave him a disappointed look.

"Will, you're injured and she's alone, plus your unarmed," Annabelle told him, "Go back upstairs and get out."

"No way, two pairs of eyes is better than one," Will said and Annabelle went to respond but was cut off.

"It doesn't matter anyway because I found you," the queen's voice sounded and Annabelle felt once more the gun pressed to her head.

Annabelle raised her weapon and the queen took it out of her hand before she spoke again, "You've been fun to watch," and she aimed her gun at Will.

"Wait!" Annabelle screamed and the queen froze, "You're going to take me aren't you? Otherwise you would've just shot me in the head," at the queen's silence Annabelle knew she was right.

"If you take Will here you will be far better off," when Will made a noise to protest Annabelle stopped him with a glare, "Will here is a cop and has far more access and pull to things you will need, take him."

Will made to interject and Annabelle pulled the only card she knew would get to shut him up, making eye contact she mouthed the word, "Henry" and Will froze. Annabelle could see the torment that ripped through Will as he fought with himself, but Annabelle gave him a subtle nod, telling him she was okay with this, she had accepted her fate.

The queen having thought over her decision threw Will something, Will awkwardly caught it and looked at the duct tape.

"Bind her," Annabelle's brow furrowed in question, why didn't the queen shoot her like the rest of the victims.

Will used what mobility he had to wrap her hands with the tape and when the queen had her sit to bind her feet, he knelt beside her and did his best.

When she was strictly confined the queen told Will to cover her eyes and he apologized with his eyes before placing duct tape over her eyes.

As soon as Annabelle no longer heard them she blindly reached around for the filing cabinets she was sat next to. Annabelle used the edge of the filing cabinet and started to saw through the duct tape.

Once her hand were free she quickly unbound her feet and made her way to the stair well back upstairs.

Seeing no sign of the queen or will she called out for anymore hostages.

It was then in the back office she heard a soft cry and she made her way to the room.

And then the building exploded.


	10. Chapter 10

As soon as Annabelle went inside, the entire team was directed to not let Reid know where she was, Hotch told them that it would only make Reid lose focus and become frantic.

They all were worried for their girl but they all knew that Reid would lose himself at the thought of her being in with not one, but two armed psychopaths.

When the building Reid screamed at Garcia to get them out of there, speaking of the tactical team about to approach, and Rossi told them to abort and then the building exploded, none of them knowing who was inside, Garcia knew she had to break the rules.

She went to her com, teary eyed and gasping, "Re-"

Before she could say anything else Rossi cut the line and she looked at him in horror, "Not until he gets down here," Rossi explained and Garcia gaping like a fish out of water gave a solitary nod.

Outside the control unit JJ got up from the blast looking for Will, Emily and Morgan following suit for Annabelle.

Outside Hotch was commanding squadron leaders, "We're looking for signatures on the bombs. I need every fragment of every device that you can find, no matter how small or destroyed it looks. I also need eyes on every angle in, out and around the bank. We have photos of the suspects. We're gonna continue to crosscheck those against international connections. Do you have a positive ID on the woman yet?

Garcia who stood beside Hotch in a stupor, answered quickly, "No, not yet."

"We need more agents," Hotch told Straus

Straus nodded, "Where's Homeland Security?"

"They just got here," Garcia noted, before turning back to Hotch, "Sir, there's no sign of Annabelle."

Hotch sighed and nodded, "I know Garcia."

"Sir," Garcia gaped, "Reid is on his way down here…"

"Direct to me when he gets here, no one else, understand?" Hotch commanded and Garcia nodded solemnly before retreating back to her bus.

When the other agents got there Rossi and Straus and Hotch split them up to debrief them.

After they were done, Garcia dismissing them with their questions on their phone she was surprised to see Kevin approaching her.

"So happy you're alright," Kevin said as he approached her.

"What are you doing here? It isn't safe," Garcia reprimanded.

"I-I didn't want you to be alone," Kevin stuttered.

"I'm not," Garcia told him, "You know, they separate the president and the vice president at times like this."

"Well, are you comparing us to POTUS?"

"I'm saying that you should be at Quantico running point."

"Well, I'm here right now."

"You're here, Reid? Is Reid here?" Garcia asked in fear and Kevin nodded, "Yeah we rode together."

Garcia frenzied, "I'll be right back," she hurried away searching for Reid.

Finding him near the mobile unit she called out, gaining his attention, "Reid, you need to see Hotch. Now."

"What why?" Reid questioned and Garcia tried to keep the tears at bay but failed as they started to trickle down her cheeks.

"Garcia what is wrong?" Reid asked, growing very concerned. It was then Reid noticed that he didn't see Annabelle anywhere. When he got on site he assumed she would be debriefing other agents but now that he looked, the other agents were already interviewing the hostages. Panic started to settle deep in Reid and he looked at Garcia for answers, "Garcia where is Annabelle?"

Garcia's tears just flowed harder and Reid went to ask her again but was cut off by Hotch's voice, "Reid," Reid directed his attention at his unit chief, panic lining every inch of his insides by now, "Annabelle arrived on scene after we sent you Prentiss and JJ back for victimology. At that time the robbers were demanding a medic for a fellow shot robber and Straus was going to send one in when I convinced her to send in an agent with medic training. At this point Annabelle offered and being trained not only in medicine, but profiling and high tension situations she was sent in. We know she was alive up until Will was shot after that the cameras cut out and we lost all visual. The last we know she was inside the building when the explosion was set off."

Reid stared at his boss, his friend, in horror as he told him where his girlfriend was. Hotch looked at the younger man in sadness and sympathy and went to place a hand on his arm but Reid turned on his heel and marched toward the building.

"Annabelle!" Reid shouted repeatedly, as he neared, almost stepping inside but was stopped by Morgan.

"Morgan! Let me go! I need to get in there! Annie!" Reid fought against his grip.

"Reid! I promise you, you will get in there but not until it's cleared!"

Moments passed as Reid struggled and finally when the building was cleared Morgan released Reid, hot on his tail as they called out for the younger girl.

"Annabelle!"

"Annabelle!"

For what seemed like forever to Spencer they searched the remains of the building, Stepping over the dead bodies that were there and praying they wouldn't find one more with them.

"Over here," it was faint and Spencer called for everyone to stop moving as he waited for it again, "Over here," It wasn't Annabelle, Reid knew that but it was someone who had survived the blast.

Reid ran as fast as he could to where the voice called and he found two elderly people propped up against the wall, coughing out debris.

"Are you two okay?" Reid asked calling Morgan and Emily over as the woman coughed a "yes."

Shakily the woman raised her hand and pointed at a pile of debris across from her.

"The girl," she wheezed, "She was coming in here to help us and the blast knocked her into the wall before it crumbled."

Reid hearing her words and processing them obscenely slow for someone with a brain like his he ran to the remains of the wall and started to dig.

"Annie!" Reid called as he flung the debris away, Morgan entering the decaying room took one look at the scene before dropping to his knees beside Reid.

"Hold on Baby Belle," Morgan spoke to her, "We're coming. Just, hold on."

The two worked in unison to clear the rubble and finally Spencer's hand came in contact with a straw like texture, moving the dirt around he saw the unmistakable color of her dark brown locks and he made haste to clear the surrounding area, finally exposing Annabelle's beautiful but bruised and bloody face.

Reid sobbed with relief as he checked for a pulse and breathing and found both, they were faint but there.

"Annie, were going to get you out of here," Reid promised her and he turned to Morgan who nodded and the two cleared the wall from her body as quickly as humanly possible.

Once she was excavated the two worked to carefully flip her over, checking her over for any external injuries.

Reid tried his best to look her over but his kept coming back to her beautiful face now marred with a large bruise covering her left side of her face from eye to chin.

"Reid," Morgan called and Reid looked back at him only to find his eyes transfixed on Annabelle's side. Her top was rumpled and exposed her torso and Reid could see what had Morgan frozen with worry.

Peeking beneath her clothes her left side was nearly black with blood pooling inside her. Reid moved the shirt out of the way and examined the area, only to be surprised that when he pulled the rest of the shirt up a Kevlar vest resided underneath.

The bleeding lead underneath the vest and Reid quickly undid the Velcro straps his hands working under her shirt, pulling the vest from her body.

To Reid's significant relief Annabelle's body rose slightly as her body was able to take in more air.

Reid watched her face for any sign and sobbed once more when her eyes fluttered open, barely. She went to speak and Spencer shushed her but she shook her head to the best of her capability.

"She… took… Will," Annabelle scratched out and Reid nodded and called for JJ who was still frantically searching for Will.

JJ jogged over and seeing Annabelle lying there covered her mouth in shock, "The queen took Will, he's not here," Reid told her and JJ sobbed relief, staring Annabelle in the eye she mouthed a "thank you" before leaving the building.

Reid hovered over her as Morgan ran to get paramedics. Reid whispered soft comforts to her as he stroked her hair away from her face.

A few moments later a medical crew came in and Morgan slowly pulled Reid from his spot to let them do their job.

They wrapped her neck in c-collar and got her on a backboard and carried her out, Morgan and Reid following not a foot behind.

The medics seemed to stop and Reid looked at them in question before he heard Annabelle's soft and coarse voice, "Find Will. I ok," she then said something to the paramedics and they loaded her in the ambulance. Reid went to follow but was stopped by the paramedic, "I'm sorry sir she said to not let you on," Reid looked at her figure in horror.

"I don't care," Reid argued trying to step on the ambulance, "She needs me I'm not letting her out of my sight."

"Look," the paramedic as he gently pushed Reid back, "the longer you argue with us, the less time we're working on her. She told you what she wanted, she wants you to stay here and find Will."

Reid looked at the paramedics in despair but he reluctantly let Morgan drag him away from the ambulance and they watched it drive away, sirens blaring.

"Reid," Morgan tried but Reid pushed him off, "Look, our girl's smart she knows that we can't find Will without you and she knows she's in good hands and Will isn't."

Reid stared at the ground, not even attempting to stop the tears that flowed down his cheeks and washed the pavement, "Reid, the sooner we find him, the sooner we get our ass's to that hospital, okay?"

Reid looked up at him and he slowly found his voice, "Morgan how am I supposed to focus on anything except the fact that the woman I _love_ is hurt," his voice hitched, "You saw her Morgan, you know as well as I do that she's headed into surgery… how do I just forget that and focus on anything else?"

Morgan stared at his brother, a firm line forming on his mouth, "You have to Reid, it's what she want… You gotta do it for her."

Reid didn't respond for a while until Morgan saw his head bounce up and down in a nod, "Okay. For her," he looked Morgan in the eye, "Let's find Will."

"JJ and Morgan said the unsubs were in an alley northwest of the perimeter," Reid informed the others, his voice dull and lifeless.

"Yeah, this footage confirms it," Garcia agreed, casting a weary glance at the younger member, "Okay, I can see two figures in the car. Please tell me one of them is Will."

"See how she's turned? It's like she's keeping an eye on someone in the back," Hotch said, he too frowning at the comatose like state of his agent.

"Does that mean Will's in the car?" Garcia asked.

"I think there's somebody back there," Hotch informed, making eye contact with Reid, trying to give him hope that they would soon find Will and Reid could join Annabelle at the hospital, Morgan had informed the team of the situation before he helped JJ follow the exit.

Reid nodded slowly before noting the plates on the car, "What's the license plate?"

"That's weird. They're government tags," Garcia answered.

"Federal or district?" He asked.

"Federal."

"They're either stolen or they're foraged."

"Who the hell are these people?" Garcia asked.

"They set up roadblocks within the district from 66 to Dulles," Straus told the team as she entered.

"Wait, so we're looking for a black SUV with its sirens on? Well, that's gonna stand out," Kevin said sarcastically and Reid couldn't help but drop his head in agony and Garcia punched his stomach in response, glaring at him to shut up.

"I found his wallet," JJ told the others as she and Morgan gathered.

"It benefits them to keep Will alive," Hotch assured JJ.

"They must have a safe house set up," Derek said.

"Well, whoever their outside man is, that's where they're heading now," replied Emily.

"But where? What's their endgame?" JJ asked.

"There's no logical reason. They want to create panic," Rossi told her

"She's struck all over the world, which says she might not be American, but her ideology certainly speaks to Washington," Reid told them and JJ met his eyes with a look of sorrow and sympathy. Reid gave her a short nod, his eyes still red from tears, "Whatever point she and her partner are making, it's important that DC is the setting."

"Brothers were from Philadelphia," Emily told, "The other partner might be homegrown as well."

Straus nodded, "Homeland's sending over a list of possibilities."

"They're not on anyone's list," Hotch argued.

"Then how do we find them?"

"We find the common denominators between all 14 robberies, and we go from there."

"So she's our only answer?"

"For now," said Hotch.

Emily left to call Interpol once more and JJ leaned against the desk, looking at Reid.

"How was she?" JJ asked trying to keep her mind off Will and daring to ask the question no one else would.

"Uh," Reid cleared his throat as it once again became hoarse, "From what I can tell she had major internal bleeding… and I felt several fractures in her skull when I was trying to soothe her, but what do I know, she's the doctor."

Reid whispered the end of his sentence, his eyes boring holes into his shoes. Garcia let out a quiet gasp and tears began to fall down her face at the update of her friends.

"Reid… I'm so sorry" JJ tried and Reid looked up at her.

"Don't be," Reid shook his head at her, "This is completely Annie. She's completely selfless and loves harder than anyone I have ever known. It's part of why I love her," Reid gave some semblance of a smile, "But it's also what drives me crazy. She never thinks of what consequences her actions could have on _her_. She'd insanely stubborn and she never prioritizes herself… Plus she has a temper to rival a hornets nest," the team gave a short chuckle at that, "I know that she would be immensely angry at me if she were to find out I was sitting in a hospital room waiting on news about her rather than helping to find Will," the team looked as the boy before them broke, "But, that doesn't make it any easier."

Garcia no longer able to just sit and not hug her baby quickly rose and drew Reid into her, crushing him to her in a breathtaking hug.

Reid usually adverse to much physical contact unless it was Annabelle surprisingly welcomed the hug and squeezed his friend to him as well.

Derek answered a call as Emily came in, "All right, yeah, I got it," He hung up, "That was the lab. Semtex and C-4 like we thought. Red, blue, and yellow wires in each, old cell phone used as a detonator."

"How old is the phone?" Emily asked.

"Ten years."

"That's specific and rare."

"Ridiculously."

"Well, has anyone seen it before?"

"It was last seen in a number of bombings in Chad."

"For a signature that specific, they must have been there to learn it."

"Did Easter have any insight?" Hotch interjected.

"A woman they called Lady X stole a sedan from Scotland Yard eight years ago. The investigation concluded she was a trained assassin. She disappeared," Emily recited.

"So Lady X and Queen of Diamonds is the same person?" Rossi asked.

"It sounds like it."

"Garcia, look at assassination attempts around the civil unrest in Chad," ordered Hotch.

Reid felt the anger at this woman rise within him as he spat, "If she was a hired gun, she was likely taking orders from someone."

"Maybe she's still working for the same guy now," JJ offered, "He's still pulling the strings."

"Or maybe she's found her equal," replied Hotch.

"Their obsession with killing and domination has culminated in what we've seen today," Emily said.

Reid told the others, "Getting off on the disaster they've created- classic symphorophiliacs."

"Then, this isn't over."

"Far from it."

"No, now that they've gotten away with this, where are they gonna strike next?"

It was an hour later when the group was called to a local fire station where a paramedic had been killed after what appeared to be changing the bandages on Will and then robbing him of clothes.

"Will's definitely with them, and it looks like he can move without a problem," JJ reported as she and Rossi were on scene.

"Cameras caught everything?"

"Yeah. The woman killed the medic."

"Hey," Rossi made her look at him, "At least Will's okay. You saw him, Annabelle made sure that he was taken care of."

"Yeah, and look at her now," JJ sighed, "How long does Will have?"

Aaron waited as Reid, Prentiss and Morgan rejoined him, Kevin and Garcia, "The explosion was a distraction so they could escape. Watch."

"Allow me to fast-forward," Kevin said, "All right, here's where Chris started shooting hostages. The fella next to him didn't even flinch. Doesn't even break a sweat. I mean, I know he's ex-military, but still."

"His name is Matthew Downs," Garcia pulled his file, "That's what he told Rossi, and he wasn't lying. History shows dishonorable discharge from USMC in '04."

"Okay, do me a favor," Emily talked to Kevin, "Keep going to where Will walks in. Okay, now watch him and then look at her."

The team observed the two look at each other as the two in question looked at each other and it clicked on who the Matthew Downs was.

"Her partner was in there the whole time, just not in the way that we thought. They shot this whole thing like a home movie," Emily realized.

"What the hell are they doing?" Kevin asked astounded.

"It's all part of their plan," Derek told him.

"They've created scenarios that are practically impossible to survive. When they make it, it's the ultimate high," Reid told his blood boiling as he looked at the picture of the two on the screen.

"Like an adrenaline junkie," Kevin reasoned.

"Nobody can find Matthew Downs," Straus informed the group, "ERT said that he helped, and then he disappeared."

Emily quickly made to putting JJ and Rossi on the line as she talked to the team, "Well, of course Will and Annabelle thought Matthew was a hostage. Why would they? There's a good chance Will tried to help him out. He told him when to go for the doors, or offered to be a hostage to save the others. Or even Matthew offered Annabelle help with Will."

"I'm sure he did," Rossi confirmed.

"Well, there's a flip side to this. This guy could've gotten into Will's head. "Is there anything you want to tell your family, in case you don't make it?" Annabelle would have been too distracted trying to help Will to even pay attention," Derek reasoned.

"You think Will told him about JJ and Henry?" Rossi asked.

"Unknowingly," Hotch told.

"No, no, no," JJ whispered.

"What's wrong?" Rossi asked

"Will's license is gone. They know where we live."

Morgan, Emily and Reid walked the remains of the bank, Reid trying not to look where at where he found Annabelle, "So, why didn't they take all the money?"

"Annabelle," Morgan explained, "She must have pulled her second gun after Will was shot and the woman went down to set the charges," Morgan explained, "Chris must have been distracted and after she patched Will she used the opportunity to shoot Chris," They looked at the remains of Chris's body on the floor, "She must have went after the woman and Will followed. The woman surprised them, forced Annabelle to stay while she took Will as insurance and a way out. Annabelle made them frantic, they were a man down, and they had to get out in a hurry."

"And for her, today was less about the money and more about the spectacle," Emily reasoned.

"Everything they've said and done was for a reason, but what doesn't make any sense is she switched the negotiation demand," Morgan reminded, "Chris wanted to go to Switzerland. She changed it to Chad."

"They also requested a private plane, but no mention of a pilot," Emily recalled.

"Guys, if you think about it, even the dates mean something," Reid pushed his feelings down as he recalled their unsub's histories, "In 2004, while she was wreaking havoc abroad, he was dishonorably discharged. In 2008, they likely met in Chad, and now this in 2012."

"Okay, so is it a coincidence that those are all election years and they attacked DC? Maybe this is a political statement," Derek proposed.

Emily shook her head, "No. It's more personal than that. It's their story."

"What?"

"All of the details are a part of their story."

The trio went back to the mobile unit and explained their findings, "Their timeline suggests they were both destructive before they met."

"So, we're talking about ex-military turning - on their country," Strauss said, skeptic.

"It's rare, but soldiers become disenfranchised no matter what the nationality, and if she met someone like-minded at that time, there'd be no stopping them."

"So, you're thinking they met during the civil unrest in Chad in '08."

Reid nodded, "Yeah and one or both of them are pilots."

"So, if Garcia concentrates on that region, specifically weapons running in and out of Libya, there's a good chance we'll find their paths crossed."

Garcia nodded, "Okay, multiple entries into Libya for a private pilot named Matthew Downs in '08, but I don't have her name."

"Well, because she had aliases. It's the only way to stay a ghost. Here's the thing. They are a couple. Regardless of what we believe of them, they will celebrate themselves and their connection," Emily told, "Is there anything that happened on this date in Chad?"

"Oh, you are good, Emily Prentiss, but this news is not," Garcia told, "Yes, there were multiple explosions on this day in '08."

"Where were the most casualties?"

"Uh, at a church," Garcia shook her head, "No, no, a train."

"Semtex and C-4?"

"Yep."

"Are trains still arriving at Union Station?" Hotch asked Strauss.

"Yes, but only authorities are allowed in."

"That's why they needed Will."

The team went to head out and Reid called for Hotch, who turned to face him, "Hotch you know that's where he is, I've got to-"

"Go. We'll be with you when this is over."

With Hotch's command Reid ripped his vest from his chest and flagged down an officer, commanding him to take him to the closest hospital.

When Reid arrived he raced to the nurse's station, "Annabelle Jameson", he ordered and the nurse could see the panic in his eyes and looked up the name.

Reid wished in that moment that he wasn't a profiler, he wished he didn't see her face drop for a minuet millisecond, he wished that he didn't know that that meant something was drastically wrong with his Annie.

"Sir, if you go to the surgical waiting room, I'll have a doctor meet you in there," Reid's body and mind went numb as he heard the lady's words.

With a slight nod Reid moved in a daze to the surgical waiting room and found a seat in the empty room.

As he plopped himself down Reid's hands threaded his hair and he pulled as he tried to keep some form of composure as he waited.

It was close to thirty minutes, when Reid heard the door open. His head snapped up at neck snapping speed and he deflated as he saw Garcia and Kevin standing there.

"Any news?" Garcia asked, coming to take a seat closest to him.

Spencer just shook his head, "They said they would send in a doctor to speak to me… that was twenty-nine minutes ago."

Garcia fidgeted with her hands nervously as she tried to think of what to say to the man before her, Penelope had never seen someone so broken, so hollow.

All she could do was rub slow smoothing circles on her baby's back as they waited for news.

When the door opened again it was nearly two hours later and three pairs of eyes shot to the door only to find seven pairs staring right back.

"No news?" Hotch asked and Garcia shook her head as Reid dropped his. Garcia looked to them as Reid began to shake, "What if…" his coarse voice croaked, "What if that ambulance ride was my last chance to say goodbye?"

Garcia couldn't help the tears that welled in her eyes, "Oh honey, no… no, you can't think like that."

"How else am I supposed to think Garcia?" Reid looked up at her his face the picture of pain and despair, "She came in here seven hours ago and no one has said anything!"

"That's about to change," Hotch told the room before he marched out of the room and back to the nurses station.

The others found their places, circling around Reid and they waited in silence.

It was Will who broke the silence as he spoke to Reid, "Spence I'm so sorry for what you're going through right now… but I got to tell you how grateful I am to your girl. She saved my life, and not only by patching me up when she did but that," glancing at Henry who was dozed off in his mother's lap, "Bitch had her gun pointed at my face after Annabelle shot the other one and she was gonna kill me and take Annabelle but Annabelle made her change her mind. I am so sorry that she ended up like this and I swear to you I was fighting to take her place but Annabelle refused for Henry's sake. I am indebted to her eternally."

Reid nodded at his words and Morgan stepped up, "Kid, she saved a lot of lives today."

It was then the door opened again and Hotch walked in, "Did you find a doctor?"

"Better," Hotch disappeared outside again before he walked back in backwards, wheeling a very bruised and battered but very alive Annabelle.

The team responded with varying noises of surprise and Annabelle gave the closest resemblance of a smile she could muster, considering her face was bruised stitched all along the left side.

She sat in the wheel chair a blanket covering her lower half, a hospital gown the rest. An IV was hooked to a pole to the back of her chair.

She looked at her family and knew they all had questions brimming on their mouth, she held up her palm to them and said, "I'll explain before all the questions."

She watched as they all settled back into her seats, and she sighed before beginning, "First things first, Will I am happy to see you're alright."

"Yeah, thanks to you," Will interjected and Annabelle just smiled.

"Second of all I am alright as well," she looked everyone in the eye her eyes lingering on a still frozen Spencer, she smiled at him before continuing, "I promise," she nodded at him and Spencer's eyes fluttered as he fell out of his shock, "After I was rushed here I went into emergency surgery. It took about three hours and I'm down a spleen but I'll heal in no time. I woke up approximately four hours ago and the last two hours have just been me arguing with the doctors about coming out here to see you all," she saw her family ready to jump down her throat and she raised her palm again, "I know, I know but I thought it would be easier to explain the next part if it was coming from me," she kept her head low unable to meet anyone's eyes and took a deep her breathe before explaining the next part, "Before I was rushed into surgery they ran the basic tests, X-ray, MRI, CAT and they found that injuries from my past were never set properly and never completely healed. In fact because of the blast, some of the injuries occurred again," she chewed her lip between her teeth, "So starting tomorrow I will have to undergo a number of surgeries to fix what is wrong and after I will be required to endure at least one month of P.T."

The team was quiet as they looked at the youngest one in their family until Spencer finally spoke.

"Tell me what the injuries are from."

It wasn't a question.

Annabelle's eyes met Spencer in a panic.

"What?"

"Tell me how you got those injuries."

"Spencer…"

Spencer rose from his seat and walked to her, he towered over her as his eye bore holes into hers.

"Tell me. _Trust me._ "

Annabelle shook her head, "I do-"

"Really? Because we have been together for sixth months and I have borne my soul to you Annabelle," she winced at the use of her full name, "I have showed you parts of me that I have never trusted anyone else with and I've done so because I firmly believe that if they should exist that you _are_ my soulmate. But you have never given me that devotion in return. You never think of me when you make decisions, you think of everyone else but not _me_. It's like you've been lying these past months and you don't even love me."

Annabelle gasped as though someone had stabbed through the heart and tears started to trickle down her face.

Morgan and Hotch stepped forward taking Morgan Spencer's arm in his hand, "Kid, maybe's now's not the right time for this."

Reid shrugged him off, his eyes still glued to Annabelle's, a fire alight in them that no one had seen before, "Tell me how you got the injuries," his hand raised and pointed to the door, "Tell me who hurt you or I walk out that door and I'm not coming back."

Annabelle gaped at him and froze and tried to speak but nothing came out and she shook her head.

Spencer ripped his eyes from hers and he marched to the door, swinging it open and as he was about to leave her voice stopped him.

"Fine!" her voice was filled with rage and pain as she tried to turn to face him, Hotch eventually helping her before stepping back with the others.

Annabelle's eyes were filled with so much anger that Spencer felt as though he might burst into flames where he stood, his only solace being the rivers of tears that fell from her eyes to extinguish the burn.

"JJ take Henry out of here," Annabelle's voice was hard but quiet as she spoke to her over her shoulder.

JJ didn't argue and quickly left with her son, casting a glare at Spencer as she fled and Spencer letting the door close behind her.

"The rest of you might as well stay, it's not like you don't want to hear this as well," Annabelle's voice was hard enough to cut diamonds and no one dared to move.

She turned back to Spencer and Spencer thought his heart stopped beating, "Fine Spencer Reid you want to know? I'll tell you. I'll tell you how my supposed father beat me every single day since his wife died and before I was finally able to flee. I'll tell you how he would slap me to the ground and kick me until I coughed blood. I'll tell you how he would string me up by my wrists and dislocate my shoulders as he used me as a human punching bag. I'll tell you how he would push me down the stairs or lock me outside naked. I'll tell you how he would shove things inside me and invite his friends to do the same. I will tell you how he would cut me with switch knifes and whip me with belts. Or would you rather I tell you about how after I graduated my own country forced me to go overseas, where I was water boarded and electrocuted and raped and-"

"Stop," Spencer begged, his own eyes now over run with salty tears.

"No! You wanted to hear this, you wanted to know what I have tried every single day to forget and every single day I could repeat back to you the exact place he kicked or the exact order of which item he placed inside me or the exact number of times I _wished,_ I _prayed,_ for death."

Her breathing was heavy as she stared him down and Spencer shook his head and his body racked with sobs.

"I wanted you to trust me, to consider me when you make these life altering decisions-"

"That life altering decision is my job! Our job!"

Spencer looked at her, "You never consider yourself! You never think of yourself! You never love yourself! You risk and damage and are ready to kill the one thing in this world I love the most, the one thing that now that I've had it, I can't live without it!"

"Why wouldn't I?"

The room was deadly silent as the two lovers stared at each other.

"Love is a new concept for me Spencer Reid and you either don't understand that or you don't care and you are selfish and cruel. I am trying to understand it, I am trying to work with it and the only way I know how to do that is to give it out to others… for you to say that _I don't love you…_ " once more a sob ripped from her throat and the room fell quiet once more.

Annabelle's head dropped as her sobs shook her through.

"Hotch," her quiet voice sounded making her unit chief come to her side, "I'd like to go back to my room now."

Hotch nodded and he motioned for Morgan to get Reid out of the way.

Morgan walked up to the younger man and firmly dragged him away from the door.

As Annabelle was about to leave she held up her hand for Hotch to stop and he did.

"Thank you all for coming," she whispered before lowering her hand and Hotch continued to wheel her away.

The only sound in the room was Spencer's sobs as they echoed off the floor.

 **Ok so that is part 1! We will pick up in the next season and see what has happened to our favorite couple! Please review and let me know what you think so far and what you think will happen! To the reviewer who asked if I was going to follow the Maeve storyline, I wont! But I do have something similar in mind... Review! I should be back next week with more, more love, more loss and more secrets!**


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